Auchinvole Chris: Minimum Wage (Starting-out Wage) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Auchinvole Chris: Minimum Wage (Starting-out Wage) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Sitting date: 19 March 2013. Volume:688;Page:8630. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE (National) 
: 
 I rise to speak in this Committee stage of the Minimum Wage (Starting-out Wage) Amendment Bill in the name of the inspirational Minister of Labour the Hon Simon Bridges. 
Hon Member 
: Eschatological—we need to get that word in. 
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE 
: Indeed—indeed. We can all agree that it is important that young people are given opportunities to engage in training in their chosen industry but it is also important that young people generally are given a go. It is the New Zealand way for goodness’ sake! But in respect of the earlier comments that we have heard employers have so far indicated that they are not using the training minimum wage created under Labour and Labour really needs to consider why that might be the case. 
We as a Parliament do need to address the serious issue of youth unemployment. We would be derelict in our duties if we did not. This bill through the creation of a wage for 16 to 19-year-olds entering the workforce and coming off a benefit—that is the biggest thing of all—or undertaking an industry training course will do a great deal towards giving people a go. Speaking for myself I have never had to have a benefit in terms of an unemployment benefit. 
Hon Phil Goff 
: He could be on a vicar’s stipend. 
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE 
: No it is not skiting. It is— 
Hon Phil Goff 
: No I said a vicar’s stipend. Isn’t that a benefit? 
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE 
: Oh I see what you mean. I thought you said I was skiting. But the reality—and Mr Goff will know because although I am sure he is not as old as I am we have been through various stages of New Zealand life together at the same time. Certainly when I came to New Zealand as an immigrant it was remarkably well not easy to get a job but there were plenty of jobs and plenty of opportunities—plenty. Modern youth is not quite in the same place so we have to work harder to give them opportunities. 
We also have to provide as this bill does opportunities to encourage employers. I would have to say that I am disappointed with the expressions of attitude that I hear in the debate thus far from the Opposition parties as if employers are some sort of dreadful Dickensian characters who are going to exploit young people at every opportunity. That has not been my experience in talking to employers. [ 
Interruption 
] No it really is not. When I think of the employers whom I meet on a daily basis from one end of the West Coast - Tasman electorate to the other they are without doubt proud of their staff. They actually like their staff. They have trained them after they have selected them they have watched them develop and they are extremely pleased to have the association with them. I would like to remind the House that this starting-out wage is voluntary. Employers and employees must agree together on whether it will apply. It will improve a currently flawed system greatly. 
If we do agree—and I hope we can agree on some points—that youth unemployment levels are far too high and that there is a need for young people to gain opportunity experience and reasonable financial compensation then why is it that the Opposition arguments seem to want to match young workers fresh in vision and enthusiasm but with briefer curriculum vitaes less experience and more potential risk to the employer against the older employees whose experience and position are valuable and entrenched? Or do I see lurking in the mind of Andrew Little the Amalgamated Engineering Printing and Manufacturing Union banner which wants to protect the members of unions against the oncoming workforce that could threaten the jobs there? I cannot see it. I cannot see why Mr Goff says this is a displacement exercise to get rid of older and experienced workers and bring in young ones. 
Hon Phil Goff 
: Because that’s the experience in the past. 
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE 
: Well I do not see it. I cannot imagine it happening to any great extent. There might be the odd one. But the same apprehension was voiced by Labour when we introduced the—