As the Refugee Service changes post-Covin, the government is looking to undermine our confidence in migrant workers.
The changes include finding ways to increase New Zealand’s labor productivity.
Environment Minister David Parker told a recent Horticulture NZ conference that the government was working its way through the changes.
We are sending some signals that we do not intend to return to the post-colonial status of refugee services.
Parker says there are several reasons for the move.
First, in terms of infrastructure, some major cities are lagging behind – things like private and public housing and roads.
This tremendous growth of refugees and peoples has been hampered by one.
“We are at the extreme of the OPCW countries,” Parker told the conference.
The Parker government is also looking at changes in terms of productivity and has sent a productivity commission.
“Despite world-class institutions and a good education system, NZ’s energy and overall productivity were lacking,” he said.
And we are concerned that over-access to the growing number of short-term and long-term refugees will reduce incentives to increase productivity capital.
The Hotrack sector relies heavily on Pacific Islander workers who come to NZ every year to work on orchards and orchards.
Parker rejected the idea of moving from one extreme to the next.
He acknowledges that there are areas in which there are high growth requirements for special skills that cannot be met in our own labor market.
He says the government is working closely with the government to address the problem. More recently, it has given green light to seasonal workers in Tanga, Samoa and Vanuatu without having to go through a two-week standoff.
Parker added that, as 2,000 RSE workers brought in last year, the same conditions – including at least living wages and appropriate accommodation – would apply.
Normally there are about 14,400 RSE workers a year, but the epidemic and border restrictions have halved that workforce.
Parker says the government is currently working closely with the labor force. The restrictions are not related to any policy changes, but are related to boundary issues.
Having said that, we want to work with businesses on how to attract new employees by improving conditions or making them more flexible.
Parker thanked New Zealanders for improving themselves and giving them a future in the labor force.
“We are applauding New Zealanders such as quivering and summer fruit; These efforts must continue. It is true that some employers suffer more than others and that is not the government’s fault. ”
Technology will also play a key role in meeting manpower requirements. I was impressed by Parker’s technology deployment in some warehouses around the country.
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