Barbara Stewart MP
Spokesperson for Health
20 February 2013
Care Workers Victims of National’s Low Wage Economy
New Zealand First is dismayed that the Government is refusing to increase the pay of thousands of residential aged care
staff.
The Health Select Committee has just released a report which ignored the calls from more than 10,000 people for proper
funding of the aged care sector.
Health spokesperson Barbara Stewart says New Zealand First holds serious concerns over the Government’s unfair treatment
of residential aged care workers.
“As part of New Zealand First’s 2005 confidence and supply agreement with Labour we boosted funding by $580 million over
the next two budgets.
“But post-2008 and National ignored the sector and failed to inflation-adjust the increase New Zealand First worked so
hard to get.”
Mrs Stewart says for the Government to continue ignoring calls for care workers to get a pay increase is inexcusable
given that thousands of workers are currently underpaid, and the workforce is predicted to double over the next decade.
“It is yet another example of the Government showing disregard for working New Zealanders by turning our country into a
low-wage economy,” says Mrs Stewart.
ENDS