“Labour has made running a successful business and creating jobs harder than it should be, with its onslaught of changes to workplace relations. Bringing back 90-day trials is a positive step for New Zealand employers, but we shouldn’t stop there,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“Since Labour came to power it has added expense after expense for small business owners. Increases in minimum wage, so called “fair pay” agreements, another public holiday, the end of 90-day trials, increased sick leave entitlements and ever-growing regulation and red tape.

“How are businesses meant to grow when the Government is inflicting more costs on them at every opportunity?

“The next ACT/National Government has made it clear it will bring back the 90-day trial and repeal Fair Pay Agreements. On top of this we should be reversing new sick leave entitlements and pausing minimum wage increases for three years.

“Labour just don’t get it; they think they’re helping employees with all these new imposts on employers but actually they’re making it harder for them to be hired in the first place.

“Take 90-day trials for example, they gave employers the opportunity to take a chance on workers they wouldn’t otherwise consider. Young or low-skilled workers, or people who have been out work, have the most to gain from being employed on a trial basis.

“It is the same with the minimum wage, a policy that seems kind but is the opposite in reality. In 2022 MBIE advised the Government to go slower in raising the minimum wage and estimated that thousands fewer jobs would be created because of the rapid increase in the level of the minimum wage.

“The next Government needs a political party which is committed to making it easier and more affordable to do business in New Zealand. It needs a political party that will put its political capital behind cleaning up the jungle of red tape that holds New Zealand back.

“Businesses need tax and regulation relief. ACT will fight on their behalf for more sensible, sustainable economic policies so they can grow their businesses and employ more New Zealanders.”

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