1. Employment Relations—Employment Law Changes and Union Access to BusinessesHon SIMON BRIDGES (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime MinisterORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSEmployment Relations—Employment Law Changes and Union Access to Businesses1. Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all her Government's statements and actions?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister): Yes.Hon Simon Bridges: When she was asked whether proposed employment law changes would allow a union representative to enter the property of a business without the business' permission does she stand by her answer only if the person in question they are visiting is a member of the union."?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I'm glad the member's asked that question again; it gives me a chance to clarify. The example that he gave related to farmhouses and I know that section 19 of the Act and the proposal that is included in this bill specifically precludes going into a dwelling which means that the example that the member used would not have been accurate. So thank you for the opportunity to clarify.Hon Simon Bridges: Can she confirm that the Government's changes actually give the power to union representatives to enter the premises of a business without their permission even if there are no union members on site so that unions can recruit new members or distribute the union information?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: The first principle I want to point out is that this legislation that is before Parliament at present essentially brings back employment legislation that existed right up until 2015 in some cases and I have to say that unless the member is now saying that there was a dire economic situation for the six years his Government was last in as a consequence of that legislation then that's for him to argue. We personally do not believe that this is the case with these changes. To come back to the question that the member raised for the purposes of perhaps signing up directly a union member which is quite a specific circumstance then that would be the case. But again I point out that section 21 of the Act means that the union official has to comply with all reasonable health and safety and security procedures and must access the workplace in a reasonable way having regard to normal business operations in the workplace. There are plenty of protections in place.Hon Simon Bridges: Has she seen comments by the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety in relation to her answers in the House last week: "If the National Party really wanted to debate the detail of the bill they would be asking me questions because it is my responsibility to understand the detail of this legislation. They should be talking to me not trying to catch the Prime Minister off guard." and if so does she agree with her Minister that she was caught off guard?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I know the point that the Minister was making was that if this was such a significant issue for the economy why has the spokesperson not asked the Minister directly about this issue?Hon Simon Bridges: Does she think it's her responsibility to know the detail of a policy that business says is their number one concern with her Government?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: As much as it is the Opposition leader's responsibility to know that a union official can't enter a farmhouse.Hon Simon Bridges: To be really clear: can the Prime Minister confirm that under the Government's proposed employment law changes a union representative will be able to enter the premises of a business without permission from that business?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: The person in question has to comply with the rules and obligations of that workplace including the health and safety obligations. So if that means reporting in at the gate because there are health and safety obligations then they must comply with that law.Hon Simon Bridges: Why will union representatives not be required to gain consent from an employer before entering the premises of their workplace when even a police officer has to ask a judge for a warrant?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: As I pointed out in my last answer if there are health and safety obligations that require them to do so then they would. Again I come back to this issue that these are changes that existed in many cases in this omnibus bill right up until 2015. These are changes that allow employees to have a voice to be well represented in the workplace and I'm surprised that the member considers that this is going to have such a dire impact on the economy.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Using the member's previous question does a policeman in hot pursuit of a highly suspected murderer inside an office situation have to spend all the time to go and ask a judge for a warrant to pick that person up?SPEAKER: Order! Order! I had called for order before but I think we'll just leave it there.Hon Simon Bridges: Can the Minister confirm that we are giving unions the powers that we give police officers when they're in hot pursuit of murderers?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: The point that the Deputy Prime Minister was making was that the member is being alarmist and dramatic.Hon Simon Bridges: Can she confirm that under the Government's proposed employment law changes business owners will now have to pay workers for time spent undertaking union activities?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Yes in the same way that they have to under the legislation also allow them to have rest and meal breaks.Hon Simon Bridges: So to be clear can she confirm that under the Government's proposed employment law changes businesses will now be responsible for funding union activities while workers should otherwise be doing their job?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I would encourage the member to have a long conversation with the likes of Air New Zealand where through their framework of working collectively with their employees they have improved the productivity the health and safety and they have a high-performance workplace. Unlike the member I don't believe that excluding employees is the way to become a productive company in a productive country.Hon Simon Bridges: Will the law changes make private businesses responsible for undertaking and funding union membership drives?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Again as I say this is legislation that existed under the last Government and at that point—unless they're starting to argue that under the first six years of their reign the economy tanked they might want to change to a new line of questioning because we on this side of the House believe it's possible to empower employees to have a voice in the workplace and it won't endanger business or the economy."