Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Licence needed for work use Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

Unpaid labour on private estates of the rich

Liz Gordon Community Wage scheme provides unpaid labour on private estates of the rich

A Christchurch court decision this week has shown that unemployed people can be used as unpaid labour on the private estates of wealthy landowners under Community Wage scheme regulations.

Local Alliance MP Liz Gordon took up the case on behalf of a worker directed by WINZ to tidy the grounds of the property of Bruce Bellis at Amberly.She says that in correspondence the Minister, Peter McCardle, has continually said there is nothing wrong with private placements as long as they have a social or environment al outcome.

'I have asked him to say outright, then, that it is OK for a person to be used to sweep the leaves on the grounds of someone's country estate, given there is an 'environmental outcome'.

He refused to do so, but neither would he deny the possibility of someone doing this sort of work.

'Bruce Bellis has this week won damages from WINZ for breach of contract, after they had pulled the worker off the job when Liz Gordon's office complained.Dr Gordon says she ha! s no quarrel with Mr Bellis but she is concerned that WINZ needs to be clear what work is allowed.

'If the scheme is intended as a sort of indentured labour or semi-slavery, then let's say so. If it is really a scheme for benefiting the community, the WINZ needs to ensure that this never happens again.

'Dr Gordon is still waiting for the Ombudsman's review into WINZ's refusal to give her the relevant papers so that she can check the facts of the case.


Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

Featured News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.