Govt limits minimum wage rise to 1.5%

Govt limits minimum wage rise to 1.5%
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden. (Image: NZME)
Staff reporters
The Government has announced a 1.5% increase to the minimum adult wage to $23.50 an hour from April 1 next year.That’s in line with the coalition agreement between National and New Zealand First to keep wage rises as low as possible every year. The starting-out and training minimum wage rates will be set at $18.80 to remain at 80% of the adult minimum wage.Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden said a disproportionate increase in the minimum wage would have put youth employment at risk.“Young people are more...