Guy Nathan: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Guy Nathan: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:653;Page:2047] 
1. 
 NATHAN GUY (National—Otaki) 
 to the  
Prime Minister 
: What reports has the Government received on the 9-day fortnight? 
Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister) 
: 
 I have received a report today that Fisher and Paykel Appliances has negotiated with its workforce to take up the Government’s 9-day fortnight scheme. As a result it is my understanding that some 350 workers now have a guaranteed job for the next 6 months and 60 workers who would otherwise have been made redundant have managed to keep their jobs. [ 
Interruption 
] I note that the noise coming from Labour members means that they do not support those 350 workers who have kept their jobs. Let us see whether they are talking that tough when they visit Fisher and Paykel Appliances one day. I for one am proud to be leading a Government that has come up with a solution that has seen those workers keep their jobs. 
Nathan Guy 
: Are there other elements to the Fisher and Paykel Appliances announcement? 
Hon JOHN KEY 
: Yes there are. Fisher and Paykel Appliances has announced that employees will work a 35-hour week which will be supplemented by an additional 3.5 hours’ pay consisting of the Government’s scheme and an equivalent contribution from the company. The remaining 1.5 hours per week may be taken as paid leave to ensure continuity of wage levels and workers will attend a Fisher and Paykel Appliances - funded in-house training and upskilling programme for the balance of the time. This is a great example of the Government business unions and employees all working together. It is a successful programme. 
Nathan Guy 
: How many companies have inquired about using the scheme? 
Hon JOHN KEY 
: It is my understanding that as of this morning Work and Income had received 21 inquiries for the job support scheme—21 companies were looking to ensure that they can keep their workforces intact. This is a great example of the success of the Job Summit and I take it going by the silence of the Leader of the Opposition that he is not quite so chipper today. 
Hon Phil Goff 
: Does the advice he has received from his officials that the 60 jobs—not 350 jobs—saved today at Fisher and Paykel Appliances as cited in the statement from the company mean that he is now on track—[ 
Interruption 
] Can I start again Mr Speaker because I cannot be heard over the Government benches— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No I can hear perfectly well. The member should continue his question. 
Hon Phil Goff 
: Does the advice from the Prime Minister about those 60 jobs—which all of us welcome as having been saved today—mean that the scheme is on track to save the 100000 jobs that he said the initiative would save at the Job Summit earlier this year? 
Hon JOHN KEY 
: Firstly let us get it right. There are 350 workers at Fisher and Paykel Appliances who are guaranteed their jobs for the next 6 months. There would have been many more—up to 60—who would have been made redundant. If the Leader of the Opposition wants to come with me to Fisher and Paykel Appliances to stand on the shop floor and to get up and say that he does not care about those workers’ jobs when I get up and say that I do then he should feel free to join me. 
Hon Phil Goff 
: I seek leave to table two documents. The first is the statement made today by Fisher and Paykel Appliances that it would prevent about 60 redundancies. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that statement. Is there any objection? There is none. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Hon Phil Goff 
: Secondly I seek leave to table the statement from the  
Otago Daily Times  
where Mr Key states that this new scheme— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Is this a press statement? 
Hon Phil Goff 
: It is a statement made in the  
Otago Daily Times 
 dated 28 February of this year. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I thank the member. Leave is sought to table that press release. Is there any objection? No there is no objection. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.