Fenton Darien: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Fenton Darien: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:666;Page:13846] 
11. 
DARIEN FENTON (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister of Labour 
: Is she currently considering any changes to employment law that were not included in the changes announced at the National Party conference; if so what are they? 
Hon PANSY WONG (Minister for Ethnic Affairs) 
 on behalf of the  
Minister of Labour 
: Despite the fact that the hard-working Minister is attending to the earthquake devastation in her patch some issues are being considered to improve the operation of New Zealand’s employment laws. Specifically a number of issues are under consideration— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I apologise to the member; I took a second to get up because I was slightly confused. I think the member is answering on behalf of the Minister of Labour so I do not think she can get up and say the hard-working Minister is in Christchurch. I mean that is something that just could not possibly be part— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: —of what she is saying— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No the member will resume his seat. 
Hon Annette King 
: He’s just showing off. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No—I am on my feet. I listened carefully. The Minister was reasonably brief in the bit that was out of order and she was going on to answer the question I think remarkably well. It would behove the member to listen while a useful answer is on its way and I congratulate the Minister that at least the first part was mercifully brief. The Minister is answering the question. 
Hon PANSY WONG 
: Mr Speaker would you like me to take it from the start? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No I would like the Minister to pick up from where she left off. 
Hon PANSY WONG 
: Specifically a number of issues are under consideration including but not limited to the review of Part 6A of the Employment Relations Act a review of workplace flexibility laws and changes to collective bargaining. 
Darien Fenton 
: Is she considering any of the following options mentioned in her July 2010 Cabinet paper entitled  
Proposals to Amend the Employment Relations Act 2000 and Related Work 
 which included the contracting out of personal grievance provisions reviewing the passing on provisions reviewing temporary and fixed-term contracts and the reintroduction of the separate youth minimum wage? 
Hon PANSY WONG 
: Being a very thoughtful and responsible Minister she is taking time with her decisions. There is a lot on the plate of the Minister of Labour but all those issues will take time to be considered. Overall rights will be balanced very well between employees and employers for the benefit of economic growth in New Zealand. 
Darien Fenton 
: Does the option of the contracting out of personal grievance provisions mentioned in her Cabinet paper mean that employers could potentially set different personal grievance terms for different employees; if so will she rule out such a change? 
Hon PANSY WONG 
: As a very responsible and thoughtful Minister all considerations are being taken into account. It is important to have a very fair balance between all employees and employers for the benefit of economic growth. 
Darien Fenton 
: Given that she has previously ruled this out will she now assure the House that the reintroduction of a separate youth minimum wage as mentioned in her Cabinet paper of July 2010 is not an option that this Government will ever consider? 
Hon PANSY WONG 
: A responsible and democratic Minister does not rule out anything without due consideration which would take into account all the issues for the benefit of employees and employers equally. 
Darien Fenton 
: Is she refusing to rule out these options because the Government is actually considering making some of these changes or has she just learnt from recent experience that any decision that she makes may be overruled by ACT anyway as was her recommendation to limit the 90-day trial extension to workplaces of fewer than 50 employees? 
Hon PANSY WONG 
: All decisions made by this Government are collective decisions unlike those of the previous Labour Government which were dictated to it by the previous Prime Minister.