Winston Peters: Kiwis no hope of getting jobs over cheap labour

Northland MP Winston Peters.

Northland MP Winston Peters has cited a Whangarei business as just one example of immigrants ignoring New Zealand's employment laws, a practice that he says should result in the offenders' deportation.

Dayon Trading Ltd., he said, had not paid the minimum wage to 11 sushi bar staff from Korea and Japan, reportedly a deliberate business practice that had been repeated over many years with numerous employees.

Other cases included a Marlborough vineyard contractor who was fined for doctoring timesheets, leading to the exposure of widespread non-compliance, and Hastings contractor MD Dara Miah Horticulture, which was fined for not keeping employment records.

The Labour Inspectorate had said ignorance was not an excuse for breaking the law.

"No one should adopt another country and abuse its laws," Mr Peters said.

"If the employers are citizens, that's doubly concerning, and proves we should tighten citizenship laws.

"Case after case of employers, including some New Zealanders, who underpay wages and exploit workers are being exposed by the Labour Inspectorate, but that is the tip of the iceberg.

The latest is a food court in Auckland's North Shore that took advantage of 'vulnerable Chinese migrants' who were 'older and did not speak English'. They had them working 12-hour days, but only paid them for eight hours.

"National opened New Zealand up to the abuse of cheap labour when it allowed record immigration of more than 70,000 migrants a year, many under-skilled and desperate for work," he added.

We are fast becoming a country with Third World workplaces, where the laws are ignored ...

Northland MP Winston Peters

"The government must increase the number of inspectors from only 54 for the whole country, and cut down on immigration. We are fast becoming a country with Third World workplaces, where the laws are ignored, and Kiwis have no hope of gaining jobs over cheap labour.

"What's happening is a wholesale breach of human rights, forms of slave labour and countless attacks on the integrity of New Zealand as a good society, while many in the establishment are simply turning a blind eye. Such people are a disgrace to New Zealand, and should be exposed for being so by every right-thinking New Zealander."