Parmar ParmjeetDr PARMJEET PARMAR (National): Thank you Madam Chair for this opportunity to add my voice to this debate. Before I get on to discussing my view on how I see the partial removal of the 90-day trial period I want to respond to the member who took a call and said that there are people working in different industries—and the example she used was the meat industry—and they deserve to have a rest break. In my view that argument was embarrassing. In the businesses that are employing 95 percent of our population employers definitely want to look after their employees and they do give them rest and meal breaks. It's not like people are working non-stop without having rest and meal breaks and to project employers as being like that is I think totally inappropriate. It's embarrassing our employers that employ—I repeat again—95 percent of our population. When Minister Iain Lees-Galloway tried to give an explanation of why he is limiting the 90-day trial period to only small and medium businesses it clearly showed that he is going in the wrong direction because we started from small and then we extended it to the whole sector. But now the Minister wants to go in—Hon Tracey Martin: It doesn't mean he's wrong. Dr PARMJEET PARMAR: —yep—the wrong direction. He's definitely going in the wrong direction. The Minister used the research and read it from his iPad whereas members like the Hon Jacqui Dean and other members those who took calls from my side—I fully endorse their comments that they had gone out and spoken to people. We have heard a lot of discussion around how businesses see this partial removal of the 90-day trial period but I want to make my contribution with regard to an employee perspective because yes I have been an employer before and I've employed people but I have seen the other side too through my other roles. I have seen people literally crying and begging wanting to get a job and especially new immigrants. It's really important for new immigrants because the first thing they want is a job. They want a good school for their children. If they have a job they can look after their families. I had several people—this is before I became a member of Parliament—come to me and say that the biggest barrier they face is that employers are asking for local work experience. So where do they produce that local work experience without getting an employment opportunity? That is why the National Government listened to them and introduced the 90-day trial period because then we were taking that risk away from the employer that my colleagues have already spoken about with regard to the employer perspective. Employees got the chance to prove themselves and if it didn't work then that gave them the experience and that gave them the exposure to the work environment here in New Zealand which they could use as their first work experience here in New Zealand to apply for their next job. And 90 to 95 percent—what I heard from people was that their employer was very happy to be their referee. That was the most important thing those people wanted when they came to New Zealand and it's not only for new immigrants; it's for women. You know we take breaks when we have children. We want to get back to work. Who is going to look after them when they're trying to get into employment after having a big break in their work history? Again employers can be hesitant so this 90-day trial period gives them the opportunity. So the question I ask the Minister—it's not about business; it's about employees. The Minister is creating unequal employment standards for people. People that will be working in small to medium enterprises where employees number less than 20 will have different employment standards than those who are working in big companies which will not be able to utilise the 90-day trial period. Why is the Minister is creating unequal employment standards for people—Kieran McAnulty: He's already answered that. Dr PARMJEET PARMAR: No the Minister has not answered and I would like to get a specific answer. If the Minister stands up and again says that oh we have to read the Employment Relations Act—Kieran McAnulty: The member should read the bill. Dr PARMJEET PARMAR: You know the Minister should know the Employment Relations—CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): That member should take a call if he wants to contribute. Dr PARMJEET PARMAR: The Minister should not stand up and say that we should read the Employment Relations Act because I really want to know from the Minister why he is creating unequal employment standards for people and not just the standards but unequal opportunities as well. Why should people trying to get their first job experience only apply to small to medium enterprises to utilise this 90-day trial period? It's unfair. Why can't they apply for a job in a big company and also utilise this 90-day trial period—why not? I want an answer from the Minister because we know that people out there are looking for job opportunities in all kinds of businesses not only in small businesses and we know that big businesses are big and chunky employers.