14 December 2000

Green Party MP Sue Bradford today congratulated the Government for increasing the minimum wage for adult and youth workers and for lowering the age to qualify for the minimum adult wage from 20 to 18.

"This package of measures from the Government is an excellent and much needed step to introduce some equity for our lowest paid workers and the Greens are especially pleased with the lowering of the age to qualify for the minimum adult wage from 20 to 18 and changes to the minimum youth rate," she said.

Ms Bradford said she personally believed the minimum adult rate should be set at at least $8 per hour and she urged New Zealanders to bear in mind that the new minimum wage for adults equated to just 43 per cent of the average hourly rate earned in New Zealand.

"However this is a significant package of reforms and the Greens do not wish to take anything away from the Government," she said. "Young workers in particular will be much better off as a result of these changes."

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