Mapp Wayne: Employment Relations Amendment Bill — In Committee Recommittal Third Reading 
Mapp Wayne: Employment Relations Amendment Bill — In Committee Recommittal Third Reading 
[Volume:651;Page:466] 
Hon Dr WAYNE MAPP (Minister of Defence) 
: 
 One of the issues that the other side has never really grasped is that 90 days as a trial period is at the moderate end of what occurs in the OECD. I guess members opposite would object if the trial period were 30 days or 1 week. They would object on ideological grounds. They have a totally blinkered approach to this issue even though they know that New Zealand is one of only two countries in the OECD that does not have a proper probationary period where the full personal grievance processes are triggered. They know that. They also know that they have to be seen to do something. I guess they cannot just sit in their offices signing their Christmas cards. So they say: “Oh well I suppose we have to show our allegiance with the union movement. We have to be able to tell Mr Little that we did our bit.” 
So Labour members have come down to the House and spent all their time hyperventilating and pretending that some sort of industrial dark age is about to be visited on us even though they know that this is actually a very moderate measure. That is why the  
Otago Daily Times 
 says it is moderate and sensible. Those members know that but they have to pretend to take a different approach. So we have heard all sorts of absurd hyperventilating as if that would give some substance to their objection but all it has really done is make them look ridiculous. 
The public have had the opportunity to judge the Opposition and the absurd approaches it is taking to this legislation. One of the odd things I have to say about this whole process is the spectacle of the Leader of the Opposition taking call after call as if he is some kind of new backbencher who has to establish his reputation. I say to the Leader of the Opposition that that is not really the way to have any long-term future but I guess that is why everybody is calling him “Phil-in”—and he has been demonstrating that here day by day. He thinks that the best thing he can do is rally all the troops make sure all the seats are filled and make sure he is with the team. I wonder what some of those members are really thinking about this. Perhaps they are thinking “Is this really the issue we want to be going into Christmas on? Is this really the issue we want to say we stood strong on? Is this really the issue we made sure the Parliament was held to account on?”. 
I want to say just a couple more things. This issue was comprehensively debated in the select committee process on the bill that I put forward 2½ years ago. As a result of those submissions this bill has been introduced in the way it has been. So I remind members of two things. Firstly the mediation process is available. We have given that assurance. It is already part of the law and it does not need further amendment. That was one of the outcomes of the select committee hearing. 
The second thing I remind members of is the issue of teachers. This is a voluntary measure. When I listened to delegations from teachers I asked whether it was realistic that a collective agreement involving the New Zealand Educational Institute and the Post Primary Teachers Association would include probation provisions. The answer logically is that it will not and that is effectively what the Hon Anne Tolley was saying. We understand the logic of the situation; it is just a pity that Mr Mallard does not. 
I close on the point that although the 90-day trial period is voluntary it is also about opportunity—opportunity for immigrants opportunity for young people and opportunity for people who have been out of the workforce for some time. It is just a pity that the Opposition does not understand how this bill will build opportunity. New Zealand was ranked 20th in the OECD when it came into office and it is ranked 22nd in the OECD now. All the other countries in the OECD have this provision and that has been part of their success in a flexible modern 21st century economy. Why does the Opposition not understand that? I tell members opposite just to get with the programme. They should do something good for New Zealand by supporting policies that will promote growth. Thank you Mr Speaker.