Sepuloni Carmel: Employment Relations (Probationary Period Repeal) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Sepuloni Carmel: Employment Relations (Probationary Period Repeal) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:665;Page:13041] 
CARMEL SEPULONI (Labour) 
: 
 What New Zealanders need at the moment is a Government committed to growing our economy and creating decent jobs a Government with a plan and a Government that will invest in people. The National Government has failed to deliver on all of those fronts. That Government has no commitment to growing our economy it has no commitment to creating decent jobs for Kiwis it has no plan for our country and it has no desire to invest in New Zealanders. We have heard a number of speeches—predictable but still disappointing speeches—from the other side of the House and I will touch on some of the stuff that has been said tonight. 
Mr David Bennett said that New Zealanders should not be automatically entitled to rights in the workplace. He has challenged my assertion that they should be entitled to those rights automatically. I say to Mr Bennett that I am sure that the electorate of Hamilton East would side with my assertions and disagree with what he has said. Let us get straight to the point. This bill is about giving New Zealand wage and salary earners the right to a reason if they are dismissed from their jobs. When 700000 Kiwis start new jobs each year that National Government is looking to extend the provision of the 90-day fire at will bill to apply to each and every one of those 700000 wage and salary earners who will begin a new job in the next year. I have no doubt that each and every one of those 700000 workers would be opposed to their rights being removed by that Government. They would oppose the National Government’s corporate favours to its mates they would oppose being exploited by that Government they would oppose the arrogance that is being expressed by that side of the House to ordinary working New Zealanders and they would oppose the complete and utter disregard for fairness and the fundamental rights of wage and salary earners. 
Another speech that we had to endure tonight that I want to mention came from Mr David Garrett from the ACT Party. He talked proudly about the fact that National and ACT supported this bill when it came to the House not long after that Government first took office. He talked about something called the “roll of shame” but the only roll of shame that I know of is the roll of shameful politicians who supported this bill when it first came to the House in 2008. That list includes each and every one of those ACT and National members including the ones who sit there tonight whom I could name but that would be a waste of my good time with regard to this speech. 
Over the last week we have heard where the priorities of the National Government lie. They lie with such trivial things as the Prime Minister sending a letter to the Queen trying to get the title of “Right Honourable”. That is where the priority of that side of the House lies. Never mind the workers. Never mind the fact that they have been denied their rights. Never mind the fact that the Government side of the House is trying to take away the dignity that each and every New Zealand wage and salary earner should automatically— 
David Bennett 
: Rubbish! 
CARMEL SEPULONI 
: Yes I say to Mr Bennett they should automatically be entitled to that dignity. Instead the Prime Minister concentrated on his title of “Right Honourable”. Obviously the National Government’s priorities are in the absolutely wrong place. That side of the House fails to recognise that each and every worker in this country whether on the minimum wage or a higher income deserves to be treated fairly in the workplace. Each and every one of them is an asset to this country. Each and every one of them deserves respect. Each and every New Zealander deserves job security. They do not deserve what they are getting from the Government side of the House. 
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER 
: I am sorry to interrupt the member. The cross dialogue here in unacceptable. Keep the noise down. We have a member who has a very short time to go to finish her speech. 
CARMEL SEPULONI 
: New Zealanders do not deserve a prolonged attack on workers’ rights by the National Government. The Employment Relations (Probationary Period Repeal) Amendment Bill seeks to repeal the 90-day trial period that the National Government introduced for new workers and businesses and is looking to extend. We want to repeal the bill which the Government introduced to stop the damage being inflicted on New Zealanders. I ask all of my parliamentary colleagues tonight to support my bill which will see the National Government’s 90-day fire at will bill repealed.