Greens announce unemployment policy
A Labour/Greens coalition would mean less flexibility, fewer jobs, and more roadblocks for businesses wanting to invest
and grow, National Party Labour Spokesman Simon Bridges said today.
“Labour and the Greens plans to increase the minimum wage to at least $15 an hour and then to $18 an hour would cost
thousands and thousands of jobs, especially in small businesses and across regional New Zealand,” Mr Bridges says.
“They would scrap the starting-out wage which would mean young people would be given less opportunity to get a foot in
the door and gain the essential experience they need.
“They would scrap National’s successful 90-day trial legislation which would cost thousands of jobs, despite research
showing that a third of employers who used the trial period would not have hired a new employee without it.
“They would pay government employees at least the living wage which creates disparities between government and the
private sector employees doing a similar job, and tax those same private sector employees more to make it happen.
“They would scrap the changes made to protect the screen industry in New Zealand which would effectively put thousands
of jobs and our $3 billion screen industry at risk.
“If you want to make people unemployed, a Labour/Greens coalition is the best way to go about it.
“Unlike Labour and the Greens, National understands that flexibility, choice and fairness in the labour market are
critical for supporting a stronger and more productive economy. It helps create jobs, increase wages and encourages
innovation,” Mr Bridges says.
ends