See the announcement from Minister for Labour Kate Wilkinson
The Government has increased the minimum wage from $12.75 to $13, Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson announced today.
The training and new entrants’ minimum wages will increase from $10.20 to $10.40.
“This Government’s focus when reviewing the minimum wage over this term has centred on the need to protect jobs while ensuring a fair wage.
“Since being elected, we have raised the minimum wage by $1 – which equates to $40 a week,” Ms Wilkinson says.
“The 25c increase in conjunction with last year’s tax cuts ensures that workers on the minimum wage have maintained the buying power of their wages.
“Taking a careful and balanced approach has helped prevent workers from being priced out of the market.
“The Government is intent on boosting jobs and creating an environment that is conducive to economic growth.”
The new minimum wage rate will come into effect on April 1, 2011.
Here is the response from Labour:
John Key’s pathetic and insulting increase of 25c an hour in the minimum wage is another cruel blow for our most vulnerable Kiwi families, says Labour Deputy Leader and Social Policy spokesperson Annette King.
“People need a living wage,” Annette King said. “Last year John Key gave himself a tax-cut of more than $1000 dollars a week, but our poorest workers are being offered a derisory sum to cope with the sharply-rising cost of living.
“That puts National government priorities in devastating perspective. While wealthy New Zealanders are creaming it, thanks to National, Kiwis on the minimum wage won’t even be able to afford to buy an extra litre of milk a day for their families, or even a block of cheese each week.
“It was announced last week that wage earners finished last year worse off than they started, with average wage increases only half the level of increases in prices,” Annette King said.
“John Key promised that most Kiwis would be better off under National. That’s rubbish.
Most workers are losing ground, not gaining it, while his rich mates have never been happier.“Kiwi families face soaring increases in food prices, power prices, petrol prices, rising early education costs and government charges,” Annette King said. ”Those on the minimum wage have little or no hope of coping.
“That’s why Labour believes that some relief for families is vital. That’s why we’ll lift the minimum wage to $15 an hour by the end of our first term. That’s why we will cut the full 15 percent GST from fresh fruit and vegetables and rebalance tax cuts that gave little to struggling middle income earners but richly rewarded those at the top.
“The gap between the top and the bottom in New Zealand is careering out of control, and simply can’t continue in the way it is under these policies,” Annette King said.
“Minimum wage earners often work in jobs like looking after the elderly in rest-homes and cleaning our hospitals. A decent society would look after them in return.”
(Updates with response from Labour)
13 Comments
People on this kind of wage Wolly will more than likely spend it because they have no choice economically so it's not that bigger deal. More money goes around and around is all.
It does however have an inflationary response .i.e businesses will just put up prices
If this is ALL National have as ideas or have to do to sway the masses of sheeple out there then WE ARE stuffed!
Now give them credit for scoring two goals with one ball Justice...if not three goals...those getting the fat pay rise will love Key to bits and wonder why Goofy didn't give them anything...Goofy misses out on buying votes with that slice of pork...and National's Key nesian play gets another roll of the dice...! Bernanke does it for the banks....Key does it as a prank.
There are credit card companies offering cards to people with low credit score and charge 79,9% !!!! One would not believe it.
http://money.cnn.com/2011/02/07/pf/credit_card_interest_rate/index.htm
here you go Wolly a Story just for you..enjoy
Alittle boy goes to his dad and asks, 'What is Politics?' Dad says, 'Well son, let me try to explain it this way: I am the head of the family, so call me The Prime Minister. Your mother is the administrator of the money, so we call her the Government. We are here to take care of your needs, so we will call you the People. The nanny, we will consider her the Working Class. And your baby brother, we will call him the Future. Now think about that and see if it makes sense.' So the little boy goes off to bed thinking about what Dad has said. Later that night, he hears his baby brother crying, so he gets up to check on him. He finds that the baby has severely soiled his nappy. So the little boy goes to his parent's room and finds his mother asleep. Not wanting to wake her, he goes to the nanny's room. Finding the door locked, he peeks in the keyhole and sees his father in bed with the nanny.. He gives up and goes back to bed. The next morning, the little boy say's to his father, 'Dad, I think I understand the concept of politics now. ' The father says, 'Good, son, tell me in your own words what you think politics is all about.' The little boy replies, 'The Prime Minister is screwing the Working Class while the Government is sound asleep. The People are being ignored and the Future is in deep shit.'
Hmmmmm....think I'll avoid the future. The idiot economists at the banks must be about to let fly with another load of BS...41 homes burned to the ground in the Perth fires...I'm sure they will tell us it's GDP positive and a sure sign of growth to come for Perth residents. Has Chch stopped shaking yet?. Has the fat man started digging those 200 million dollar holes?
There is a thunderous applause from the governments around Asia , at this decision to increase the minimum wage in New Zealand . ..... This will protect jobs in Asia , by making them comparatively cheaper .....
..... Clearly the continued export of jobs from NZ to Asia has the full backing and support of the Key government . And we thank him for his generosity , as magnificient in power , as PM Clark was before him .
At risk of criticising PM Key however , we feel the leader of the opposition deserves a wider audience for his mandate of lifting the minimum wage further , to $ 15 / hour . The benefit of that , to our economies in SE Asia would be enormous .
......Such charity to us Asian peoples is extraordinary , and we thankyou : Salamat po .
[ Philippines correspondent ]
Yes Globalisation was such a great idea ..For a few?..But was it the best decision for a small growing country far away from the rest of the world?..Growth has gone,along with the dreams and aspirations of a generation.Shipping the jobs to Asia? what mindless, idiot moron fell asleep at the wheel and steared us in that direction?..The standard of living has slipped to the point where fellow kiwis have to exploit fellow kiwis to make a return.Thirty years ago this stress free bit of Paradise had a yearly homicide rate you could count on one hand...now its such an everday act that it barely rates a mention in the main stream media.The vandalisation of our way of life is amost complete.Death by a thousand cuts?
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