Govt Resists Move To Classify Green-Collar Workers

The Government today resisted a Green Party attempt to have it classify green collar workers and detail benefits for this sector from its infrastructure package.

Green co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons today asked the Prime Minister John Key in Parliament: “How many jobs will his government infrastructure package create and of those jobs, how many will be green-collar jobs?”

John Key resisted classifying specific sectors.

“…Regarding the second part of the member’s question, I say it is not my practice, nor is it the practice of Government departments, to classify jobs as being white-collar, blue-collar, green-collar, or any other type of collar—all jobs are important to the Government,” John Key said.

That left the Green Party to seek a second clarification: was the Prime Minister ignoring the fact that green-collar jobs are a booming sector and should be taken seriously – particularly as that sector is seen to address climate change issues?

Jeanette Fitzsimons: "Does he agree with the editorial in the New Zealand Herald that he should reinstate the Green Homes Fund insulation programme for low and middle-income private homes, a programme that is particularly job rich?"

The Prime Minister replied: "I agree that improving insulation in New Zealand homes will play an important part for social, health, and climate change reasons. The member can rest assured that the Government is working on that."

Clearly, there was substance to the Prime Minister's assertion that all the jobs are important to the government. But the Green Party rationale was based on the growing economic and climate problems around the world and how it would be sensible for the Prime Minister to identify and openly talk about green-collar jobs.

The Greens' attempt to lure the National Government into indicating its stance on green-collar and climate change issues failed. But that, in a sense, offered a clarity of sorts.

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