Stuart Nash said the country cannot keep relying on overseas workers without trying to attract Kiwis. Photo / NZME
Stuart Nash said the country cannot keep relying on overseas workers without trying to attract Kiwis. Photo / NZME
A Hawke's Bay horticultural supplier has hit out at Napier MP Stuart Nash's suggestion that low pay and poor working conditions are putting off Kiwi workers from sectors that are reliant on migrant workers.
Speaking on Newstalk ZB recently, the economic development minister said the country cannot keep relying onoverseas workers without trying to attract Kiwis.
Nash said while some sectors will never find Kiwis to fill vacant roles, New Zealand cannot rely on overseas workers without attempting to attract Kiwis "in any way, shape or form".
"What we're actually saying is that if you want attract Kiwis, how about paying them a decent wage and how about giving them decent work conditions," he said. "I think that's pretty fair."
Nash stated that he and the Government are "fully committed" to the RSE scheme, which will continue, in what Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi has warned will be reduced in numbers, in 2021/22.
Thornhill Horticultural Contracting Ltd business manager Nick Bibby said there are very few issues with wages or working conditions in Hawke's Bay, but the region's horticulture sector is still heavily reliant on the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme.
Thornhill Horticultural Contracting Ltd business manager Nick Bibby said he sees no issues with wages or working conditions. Photo / Warren Buckland
"We paid the living wage this year, provided free transport to and from work, gave away two cars, provided accommodation, allowed workers to work hours that suited them, had options of inside or covered work and were still drastically short," he said.
Bibby said a short harvest window of six to 12 weeks is the main issue facing the region.
"It's very hard to convince Kiwis to leave the security of permanent jobs or long term jobs to come work harvest and we just don't have the numbers of unemployed to fill the gap," he said.
"The workers from overseas allow us to get to harvest the fruit that supports the thousands of permanent Kiwi jobs in the industry."
ACT Party immigration spokesperson James McDowall said Nash must have been "away with the fairies when he insulted employers who take migrant workers".
McDowall said to suggest a lot of businesses have poor conditions is "punishing the majority for the behaviour of a small few".
Thornhill Horticultural Contracting Ltd, which was established in 2007, employs over 800 staff.
Bibby said the idea that overseas labour is cheap is wrong.
"We paid our workers over $26/hr last year on average and this will continue to increase," he said.
"The administrative side is also hugely expensive as expected when dealing with an overseas workforce."
