New Zealand First's Clayton Mitchell. Photo/George Novak
2018 is underway and I'm expecting it to fly by quicker than last year. With our new coalition Government in place and a relatively quiet start to the new term so far, I think Kiwis will see a lot of positive and dramatic changes. With so much work to
do and new laws to be written and implemented, there will hardly be enough time to blink, which is why I think the year will seemingly fly by.
Our New Zealand First and Labour lead Government will be focussed on fairness and equality ensuring all Kiwis get a fair go. Making sure that a fair days wage is paid for a fair days work is an essential step towards fairness and equality.
The introduction and negotiation of New Zealand Firsts policy to work quickly towards a living wage will have a hugely positive impact on all New Zealanders including taxpayers, pensioners, the working poor, the government's coffers and business.
The idea that a worker can work 40 – 50 hours a week and still not have enough to support themselves let alone their family is ridiculous. With a living wage, the government won't have to top up the working poor's income, the government will also have more revenue by way of an increase in PAYE payments. There will also be a positive lift in GST as incomes increase and people can start to afford things they may not have otherwise been able to afford.
The great thing about New Zealand First's common sense approach to this issue is that not only are we going implement a living wage in New Zealand, but we are going to also bring in a tax package for businesses to ensure they can afford to pay the increased wages. This is what I call a WIN WIN WIN policy.
