Hereora Dave: Disabled Persons Employment Promotion Repeal Bill Minimum Wage Amendment Bill — Third Readings 
Hereora Dave: Disabled Persons Employment Promotion Repeal Bill Minimum Wage Amendment Bill — Third Readings 
[Volume:638;Page:8222] 
DAVE HEREORA (Labour) 
: 
 I take this opportunity to take a short call in support of the Disabled Persons Employment Promotion Repeal Bill and the Minimum Wage Amendment Bill. First I want to say that the previous two speakers made it sound as though it was all doom and gloom. I think we need to inject some positivity into this debate because it is not about doom and gloom. I recall quite clearly that leading up to the 1999 election one of our flagship policies was to ensure we supported people with disabilities to participate in mainstream employment wherever possible. I suppose it is to that end that it is fortunate that since the end of 1999 we have had a Government—and in particular in Ruth Dyson a Minister—that is committed to dealing with some of the more difficult issues that people with disabilities face particularly within today’s society. 
I refer to a couple of comments that were made earlier by previous speakers. I note that one of those comments was about us not living in a perfect world. I suppose that that comment was in support of justifying the speaker’s position in opposing this legislation. Well I agree. We do not live in a perfect world and that is even more reason why we should make sure we make this world fair. This legislation attempts to achieve that in two ways. Firstly it attempts to achieve it by ensuring that disabled people are not disadvantaged in the amount of money they get paid for the work they do which basically means that they should be paid no differently from anybody else. The current legislation denies them that right. Secondly—and I think this is the other part of the equation that is quite important—currently they are not entitled to holiday entitlements. That primarily says that if they are not entitled to holiday entitlements then they are not entitled to have a break from work. It is timely that this new legislation in bringing about this change is also offering them the same entitlement as everybody else. 
So I agree that we do not live in a perfect world but it is up to us. It is our responsibility to ensure that people particularly disabled people are able to enjoy the same if not better terms and conditions as we do. 
 The other point the member made was referring to a disabled person’s job meaning that it was not a normal job. How do we measure whether a disabled person does the same job as a normal person? I ask the member whether she considered that her time in the army—6 weeks—should have been part of her normal job. The point I raise is that if the member is willing to give a measure to what a normal job for a disabled person is then that member should expect some criticism in relation to whether she is doing a normal job as an MP. 
It is timely that the legislation we are about to vote on is here for us to do that. It is important that we have that and that we take on the responsibility to ensure that although it is not a perfect world in this case we are making it better for those who are disabled. Kia ora.