Today is a Members' Day, and the government has once again delayed its local legislation to allow swift passage for Sue Bradford's Minimum Wage (New Entrants) Amendment Bill. Absent some major upset, the bill will pass its third reading today, so as of 1 April next year young people will only have to work for three months or 200 hours (whichever is shorter) before being eligible for the full adult minimum wage. It's not full equality, but a definite step forward, and a stunning victory for Sue Bradford. Not many MPs get a member's bill through when they're not in government (the anti-smacking bill has been the only one so far this term), so to get two through in one term is quite an achievement. And with her Corrections (Mothers With Babies) Amendment Bill still in the pipeline, she might yet be able to make it three.
The House should also be able to make a start on the second reading of Sue Kedgley's Employment Relations (Flexible Working Hours) Amendment Bill, which also seems set to pass in amended form. There's no chance of a ballot, though, and with local bills and legislation due back from committee, we might not realistically see one until October.
