Soper Lesley: Employment Relations (Flexible Working Arrangements) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Soper Lesley: Employment Relations (Flexible Working Arrangements) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
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LESLEY SOPER (Labour) 
: 
 It is really sad to hear members of the New Zealand National Party announce that they will not vote for this progressive legislation. I have even heard one of its speakers tonight say that employees do not want this legislation and that it is legislation for the sake of legislation. Perhaps that member needs to talk to the leader of the British Conservative Party Mr David Cameron who said amongst other things that the Tories would go further than the present Government in encouraging flexible working. Mr Cameron has actually said that his ambition is to make the right to ask for flexible working available to as many people as possible. He says he understands that flexible working reduces absenteeism and means that staff are more likely to remain with a company. He also says that human capital is the natural resource of the 21st century and that Britain must be a trailblazer of innovation in the way people work. If Mr Cameron understands all that how is it that the New Zealand National Party and its leader who seem to model themselves on Mr Cameron’s style do not get it? 
The Employment Relations (Flexible Working Arrangements) Amendment Bill is wanted and needed by New Zealanders. They want and need work-life balance. Here is the truth: the purpose of this bill under clause 3(a) is to “provide a statutory right to employees who meet specified criteria … to request a variation of certain terms and conditions of their working arrangements because they provide care of certain persons;”. Here is the truth of what that means. In my previous career I spent 10½ years caring for an elderly father while working full time. In that 10½ years of that career—and I was an experienced person with 10 years experience in that particular field—I would not have considered asking for flexible working arrangements without this bill in place. This bill means that people in my situation—women caring for elderly parents—will actually be able to make that request and get the agreement of their employer. It creates a level playing field for women in my situation. 
The bill also creates that same level playing field for parents with young children for those experienced people who want to go back to work but perhaps on reduced hours and for those people who want an extended period of looking after their young children. The bill creates a way of keeping our experienced people in employment and contributing to businesses and to economic conditions in this country. 
This is good legislation. It means that it is a fair playing field for employers and employees. Many employers in this country recognise the fairness of what this bill sets out to deliver. Many of them have talked to me and other Labour members about why it is important to have this bill in place. I pay tribute to the Minister and Sue Kedgley for having put forward and supported the purpose the Supplementary Order Papers the thinking behind this bill and the contribution it will make to our economic life and to the work-life balance of thousands upon thousands of New Zealand workers. The bill is an important delivery to the workers of this country. 
I am very proud of this bill. I wish it had been in place 10 or more years ago. Many of the people who come into my office will for the first time realise there is legislation that makes this sort of request possible. I feel that this is another of those fair deliveries by this Government both to the employers and the employees of this country. It is a good bill. The purpose is good the entire bill is good it is a delivery we can be proud of. Thank you.