Dean JacquiHon JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki): Thank you Madam Chair. I want to speak in this opportunity to Scott Simpson's Supplementary Order Paper 115 which has the effect of deleting clauses 29 and 29A. I want to make a couple of comments around the position of the new Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety—the former union organiser—on the impact of 90-day trials and say to the Minister that he has found some research and in the researcher's view the 90-day trial provision—which yes was brought in by the former National Government—has had no material impact on the opportunities provided particularly for more vulnerable workers young people starting out etc. Well you know academics are wonderful obviously and their research is useful but I suspect what is more useful is to actually get out there and talk to businesses about their real experiences and do that in the context of the 90-day trial provision. As a spokesperson for small businesses—as indeed we all are as National Party members because we do get out every day of every week and talk to small-business people in our constituencies and around New Zealand—I say that small businesses and business frequently rely on the 90-day trial to give people an opportunity. The concept that an employer would take on someone on a 90-day trial basis only to set the clock ticking and then at day 88 out of the blue decide that No don't want that person—gone." is simply not believable because employers take on people because they want to give people a job they want to grow their own business and they want to take a chance on people. In the case of regional New Zealand and in the case of smaller centres they may know the family and they may know the neighbourhood. It might be someone that they knew from school. You know small communities are like that. That's part of the cohesion of small communities and that is part of the way business is done in regional New Zealand. So an employer takes on someone who might not have the skill set but they've got the right attitude—and as we who've been involved in business all know attitude is actually the very first thing an employer looks for—and then they can train the person so that they do have the skill set and the aptitude and the desire to continue in whatever role it is. So the notion that the 90-day trial has not been effective in giving people jobs is just nonsense. I am disappointed to hear it from the Minister—incredibly disappointed—because it is a—Hon Member: He's quoting research. Hon JACQUI DEAN: Yes research—he's quoting research. Well I can say that each and every one of us also conducts research but we don't do it in Wellington universities and we don't do it in Auckland universities. We do it in regional New Zealand. We do it all around our electorates and we talk directly to the employers and to the people that are being given a chance. Personally I know of several young people who have had an indifferent career at school shall we say who have been given a chance and sometimes it's a bit of a rocky road with some young people. They might have to go through several attempts at getting good employment but when it happens it is a wonderful wonderful thing to see a young person happily established. I know a young guy who's now a tyre-fitter. He loves it. He drives around in his truck he's paid well and it is because an employer gave that young man a chance and that is happening all around New Zealand."