Bennett David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Bennett David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 03 August 2010. Volume:665;Page:12888. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
7. 
DAVID BENNETT (National—Hamilton East) 
 to the  
Minister of Labour 
: Why is the Government proposing to allow employees to trade up to 1 week’s holiday for cash? 
Hon KATE WILKINSON (Minister of Labour) 
: 
 Employees have been telling us that they would like more choice. They are keen to exchange some of their holidays for extra cash. There are a number of protections in this policy: cashing up the fourth week cannot be discussed when an employee begins his or her employment and cannot form part of the employment agreement; only employees can initiate a request; and if an employer pressures his or her staff into cashing up leave he or she must return the relevant holidays to an employee’s leave balance and the employee gets to keep the extra cash. The Government has been careful to ensure that the decision is freely arrived at by the worker that the worker is not pressured to do it and that there are adequate safeguards. 
David Bennett 
: What reports has she seen regarding the Government’s proposal to allow employees to trade the fourth week? 
Hon KATE WILKINSON 
: I have seen one report from 20 July from the Hon Phil Goff: “I don’t have huge objections to that as long as the decision is freely arrived at by the worker and the worker is not pressured to do it. If you’ve got that safeguard in then if somebody chooses to do that then I’m quite relaxed about it.” I have seen a report from Andrew Little from 31 July—the real boss presumably—announcing that Labour Party policy is now: “There will be no tradability of the fourth week of annual leave.” The very next day Mr Goff denied that he ever supported trading the fourth week. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The House has heard two reports and I think that is sufficient at this stage. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I know that this is really unusual but our side was really enjoying that. Could you let it go on? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That is very unlikely. 
David Bennett 
: What feedback has she received from the public on trading the fourth week? 
Hon KATE WILKINSON 
: Workers whom I have spoken to are delighted about the new choice available to them—[ 
Interruption 
]—and they want it to happen sooner rather than later. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I say to honourable members that I realise that all this gets members a little too excited but I want to be able to hear the answer and I am sure that other members do too. 
Hon KATE WILKINSON 
: However they would like to have some clarity about whether the Opposition actually supports this policy because in July Mr Goff supported tradability and now in August Mr Goff does not support it and is trying to claim that he never did. I can only ask what— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Minister has no responsibility for what Mr Goff may think on this matter. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Is she aware that the annual labour cost index released today confirms that New Zealand average weekly wages have grown by 1.6 percent over the last year while Australia’s wages have grown by 3.1 percent; if so how will introducing yet another tool to drive down wages and conditions help to close the ever-widening wage gap with Australia? 
Hon KATE WILKINSON 
: This is only one small tool in the tool kit that encourages flexibility in the workplace in order to provide economic opportunities and job opportunities for New Zealanders.