Ardern Shane: Minimum Wage Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Ardern Shane: Minimum Wage Amendment Bill — In Committee 
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SHANE ARDERN (NZ National—Taranaki - King Country) 
: 
 I rise to speak in opposition to clause 4. I know that this will come as a surprise to the Government! The reason is that it repeals section 9(c) of the principal Act which deals with people who are in training. That is what clause 4 does. I would like either of the Ministers in the Chamber but particularly the Minister in the chair the Hon Rick Barker who I know has a genuine concern for young New Zealanders in the workforce to take a call and explain to us why he believes that passing this legislation here tonight in the dead of night is going to help young New Zealanders. 
The Government’s own advisers have said that the proposed change may have a small impact on the Government’s fiscal position. The fiscal position would come from increased benefit payments that may occur from passing this legislation. That to me says there are going to be more young New Zealanders on an unemployment benefit than there are now. Maybe the Minister can clear this up for me but that is how I read it. That is what is says in this legislation we are looking at. I would like the Minister or some of the Labour members across the Chamber to take a call and explain to us why that will not happen. All the evidence to the select committee and all those who spoke on behalf of the 26000 New Zealanders who will be affected by this said that that will be the outcome. There will be fewer people in training fewer people in employment fewer people in the productive sector and fewer people given an opportunity to go forward and be productive New Zealanders—not more. Yet as the Hon Richard Prebble said the very vulnerable people whom the Labour Party purports to represent and look after are those who will be the most adversely affected by what is being proposed here tonight. 
It is beyond the comprehension I think of wider society which may be taking an interest in this legislation that a Labour socialist Government would do this—a Labour socialist Government that is predominantly occupied by former trade unionists and people who are supposedly going to look after those people. That fact was never brought home more clearly to me than when I was walking down to the Chamber tonight with the Hon Matt Robson. There is not a member in this House who is more philosophically at odds with me than the Hon Matt Robson but he is not a bad guy; he is quite a nice guy. 
John Key 
: Keith Locke? 
SHANE ARDERN 
: Oh Keith Locke is probably an exception. The member is right. I take that point. There is one member who goes further than Matt Robson; I accept that. Matt Robson and I do not agree on much but he is quite a nice guy. What a sorry sight he was coming down to the House tonight—and he was one of two. That is how the socialists treat their own. When one looks at this legislation one can see how that happens. Who would want to be protected by this lot? That is what they do to the people whom they purport to protect. They go about the country talking to businesses and spinning the spin—the Prime Minister is an expert at this. They talk to businesses about how they are pro-growth— 
John Key 
: With her allies in France. 
SHANE ARDERN 
: That is exactly right. She has been overseas drumming up business with the French and selling dairy products in France. I agree with that; my colleague is absolutely right. She is meeting the coalition of the European unwilling. As we speak tonight the Prime Minister is drumming up dairy business with the French. 
Here we are with a Prime Minister who purports to represent the business sector of this country after having been told by the majority of businesses that this legislation will be detrimental to growth and detrimental to young people and training. We should pause for a moment and consider that. My colleague touched on a very good point: the number of people who have come into industry training through employment because they have been given an opportunity via a very minimum entry point has increased amazingly.