Ross Jami-Lee: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Ross Jami-Lee: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
[Sitting date: 16 August 2012. Volume:682;Page:4485. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
JAMI-LEE ROSS (National—Botany) 
: 
 That was 10 minutes of moan after moan complaint after complaint with zero solutions—zero solutions to the problems of the world. Let me tell you that I am happy to take a call on Vote Labour because we have got a good story to tell. We have got a good story to tell because we are seeing more jobs created in the economy— 
Darien Fenton 
: Oh rubbish! 
JAMI-LEE ROSS 
: We are. The figures do not lie. We are seeing fewer workplace stoppages out there in the workplace. We are seeing a more harmonious working environment for New Zealand workers. 
I think that any Government’s labour relations policy should be judged on several things two of which are: how many jobs are created in the economy and how bad are the workplace stoppage rates in the workforce. We have got some good stories to tell. In the last 2 years 60000 jobs have been created in this economy. That means 60000 people are out there working because jobs have been created in this economy. Over the next 4 years we are expecting to see another 154000 jobs being created in the economy. Those are jobs created for New Zealand workers to go out there earn a crust pay their taxes to the taxman go home and enjoy themselves because they have worked an honest day’s work. 
On workplace stoppages we have some good stories to tell here too. Let me give the House some figures. In 2005 there were 60 workplace stoppages. In 2006 there were 42 workplace stoppages. That was at the height of Labour’s time in office. The cost to the economy was quite high too. In 2005 we saw $4.8 million of workers’ wages and salaries being lost to workplace stoppages. It was $5.2 million in 2006. Come round to 2011 after several years of Kate Wilkinson as the Minister of Labour under John Key’s leadership and workplace stoppages are at an all-time low. We had only 12 workplace stoppages in 2011 versus the height of Labour’s problems with 60 workplace stoppages. Lost wages and salaries for New Zealand workers are at an all-time low of $1 million. Those figures tell us that the harmonious relationships in New Zealand workplaces are good. Harmonious relationships are leading to fewer people having their wages and salaries lost and fewer workplace stoppages that businesses are having to deal with. 
Our 90-day trials have done very well for New Zealanders too. We know that there are 13000 extra people working because the 90-day trial periods allow New Zealand employers to take a chance and employ some people. We saw workers having the opportunity to trade in an extra week’s leave. The other side does not believe in choice. The other side does not believe that workers know best how to spend their money and workers know best how to take their holidays. We gave workers that extra week’s choice and people are taking it up and they are enjoying it. We have had some minimum wage policies implemented under this Government that are fair and sensible and have actually seen $1800 extra in the back pocket of minimum wage workers after tax. 
If we were to follow the policies that members on the other side wants to see if we were to follow their policy-subjective arguments then we would see 6000 people who would be unemployed because the Department of Labour has told us that if we went ahead with David Clark’s bill if we went ahead with what Labour wants 6000 extra people would be unemployed. Under Labour 90-day trials would go. Under Labour a sensible pragmatic minimum wage policy would go. Under Labour we would see more jobs heading offshore because we know that when Australian jobs came to New Zealand and when manufacturers from Australia said “We see New Zealand as a better place to bring our business.” we actually had David Parker opposing those jobs coming here. David Parker went out in the media and told New Zealanders that Labour— 
Hon Amy Adams 
: Anti-jobs. 
JAMI-LEE ROSS 
: —was anti-jobs and that Labour did not want to see more jobs coming to this country. Labour members said that manufacturing jobs coming to New Zealand for New Zealanders was bad. They told New Zealanders that the $1.5 billion of economic benefits from  
The Hobbit 
 films being made in New Zealand was a bad thing. Labour is anti-jobs. Labour has done nothing to support our pro-jobs pro-growth economic policies and it is a disgrace when it comes to labour policy. 
We have got a good story to tell. I am proud to tell it and we have got a good Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson working hard for this country. 
Vote agreed to.