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Minimum wage rises to $13.75

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Minimum wage up 25c

3News NZ

The minimum wage will rise by 25 cents to $13.75 an hour from April 1.

The training and new entrants' minimum wages, which are set at 80 per cent of the adult minimum wage, will also increase, from $10.80 to $11 an hour.

Labour Minister Simon Bridges announced the increases on Tuesday.

"Setting these wage rates represents a careful balance between protecting low paid workers and ensuring jobs are not lost as the economic recovery gains pace," he said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Bridges welcomed a select committee report which made minor changes to a bill setting up a lower minimum wage for young workers.

The Minimum Wage (Starting-out Wage) Amendment Bill will establish a "starting out" wage of $11 an hour, or 80 per cent of the adult minimum wage, when it takes effect on May 1.

The lower wage would apply to 16 and 17-year-olds for their first six months in a job, 18 and 19-year-olds entering the workforce after more than six months on a benefit, and 16 to 19-year-olds in certain training.

NZN

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Comments

31/03/2013 2:57:06 p.m.

Phil wrote:

Yup we can see where marks heads at.
Has anyone ever worked out how much things like rent power, phone and transport to work costs every week.
Then add food to that what do you thinks left.
BTW Don't go skimping on the food most minimum wage earners are labourers they have to eat.

27/02/2013 11:44:45 a.m.

Wiseacre wrote:

@ABBEY - The USA has a $7.25 minimum wage. But a dollar to dollar comparison is simplistic at best, as is the rest of your argument. You take no account of different tax deductions which vary between countries. Nor do you take into account the very real differences in the relative cost of living - which is a problem in New Zealand as the rising cost of living far outstrips wage increases. The U.S. may seem to have a lower minimum wage compared to New Zealand if you just compare dollar to dollar, but the U.S also has a lower cost of living. Taking that into account, the U.S. has a higher relative minimum wage than New Zealand.

27/02/2013 9:45:44 a.m.

Abbey wrote:

$13.75 an hour is an amazing minimum wage compared to the USA's $4p/h and even if minimum wage did go up to Australia's $15p/h then taxes and prices would rise to compensate. An extra 25c per hour equals around $500 a year for any full time worker! Just be happy with that!

26/02/2013 7:32:23 p.m.

MARK wrote:

Look National are in power, Labour are not, simple really - suck it up lefties and stop moaning.

26/02/2013 6:57:15 p.m.

iain wrote:

Can't understand how they can announce this without laughing cos it's just an FN joke!

26/02/2013 5:15:27 p.m.

Kathy wrote:

@Neil what utter rubbish in 2011 Rob Fyfe received and increase of 12.5 percent on his base salary of 1,350,000 and the company most certianly didnt go bankrupt and it was harder in 2011 than it is in 2013. Scaremongering with non factual arguements?. Thats a 169,000 pay increase for one person. Ex CEO of Telecom NZ Paula Reynolds received a termination payment of 1,800,000 in 2012 Businesses will go bankrupt paying out on that stupidity not on giving minimum wage workers a 50 cent and hour pay increase.

26/02/2013 3:53:59 p.m.

Kathy wrote:

An increase that doesnt even keep up with inflation. Well done to National again for screwing Joe Blogs and his mates. The increase would have had to have been 29 cents an hour just to keep pace with the current inflation rate of 2.12 percent.

26/02/2013 2:44:01 p.m.

charlotte wrote:

thats CRAP...

26/02/2013 2:07:03 p.m.

swam wrote:

That's absolutely crap and we all know it. Time to set it up to $17ph, to catch up with the rest of the world. Shit our food prices have gone up, everything in the line of money has gone up!! How on earth do you expect us to live on bloody $13.75 ph... get a grip you filthy rich bastards at the top doing sweet fuck all!

26/02/2013 2:03:25 p.m.

Tedc wrote:

Golly! 25c an hour! If you're fortunate enough to have a 40 hour per week job that's an extra $10 per week before tax. This is really going to narrow the wages gap with Australia! And we've got youth rates to look forward to as well.