News

Businesses like certainty. It gives them the courage and confidence to invest, hire, and to help create a successful New Zealand. But we are living in uncertain times, both at home and internationally.

Low pay continues to be a matter of much debate. A recent column here suggesting New Zealand is not a low wage economy drew hundreds of comments, both in agreement and against. Evidence would suggest we are not a low-wage economy. But it’s true that we do have a number of lower paid occupations and sectors.

The problem with myths is that, left unchecked, they become accepted as fact. We can all think of some – eggs are bad for you, carrots improve night vision. Much of the well-meaning commentary that New Zealand is a low-wage economy runs the risk of falling in the same trap: an unchecked myth becomes accepted as fact.

A faster way of hiring overseas construction workers is a welcome, timely and pragmatic decision. The government is consulting on a plan to allow construction companies to use a streamlined process for importing workers from overseas if they find that no New Zealand workers are available.