Two a penny

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Legislation allowing workers to take meal and breast-feeding breaks may be changed because it would cause the cancellation of nine domestic flights, Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson says.

Previously, there were no statutory requirements for meal and rest breaks, although entitlements were in most collective agreements.An amendment bill was passed last year by the previous Labour government, which set guidelines for break requirements. .Today, Ms Wilkinson said the law was “too prescriptive” and needed “clarifying”.The Airline Pilots Association had been “unwilling to continue the flexible breaks system”.The current legislation meant regional airport control towers were being closed down while workers took breaks, she said.If she did not act it “would result in the cancellation of at least nine regional return flights a week and the risk of further schedule disruptions”, Ms Wilkinson said.”Parliament certainly didn’t intend for this law to create more problems than it solved.Pharmacies, schools, meatworks and sole attendant operations had also raised concerns about the law, she said.The Council of Trade Unions was quick to express their disappointment at the planned amendment.”It would appear that what was once common sense in the past is no longer common sense under this legislation,” Ms Wilkinson said.”To now exclude sole charge workers, for example, would see many people returning to the very unsatisfactory situation of working long hours without any break.Many workers had benefited from the law, president Helen Kelly said.”Last month, Ms Wilkinson called for public submissions on a draft code of practice about breast-feeding at work.”Last month, Ms Wilkinson called for public submissions on a draft code of practice about breast-feeding at work.

.Submissions close on Monday

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The Government and the ACT Party are denying that a crisis has developed over whether there should be reserved Maori seats on Auckland’s new city council.

It was revealed last night that a senior National MP – believed to be Tau Henare – sent an email to his caucus colleagues telling them ACT had threatened to end its relationship with the Government if it “gave in to Maori” and agreed to having special Maori seats on the council.

“We’ve certainly never threatened to end the relationship,” he said.

But ACT leader and Local Government Minister Rodney Hide said the email was wrong.”

Speaking on Radio New Zealand this morning, Mr Hide said they were waiting to hear back from the results from the select committee but conceded there was discussion around the issue.

“What we have done is state our position very clearly and we are opposed to any reservation of seats for a particular group.”

Mr Hide said he would have to resign as minister if the Maori seats were enshrined.

“We’ll get the report, we’ll see what the select committee recommends and then we’ll see what Parliament decides.

“I can’t in good conscience as leader of the Act Party accept legislation that to me is so fundamentally against the culture of New Zealand and the principle of the Act Party as the separate Maori seats are.

He said he had told Mr Key about his stance on seperate Maori seats when talks about a confidence and supply agreement began.

NOT CONFIDENCE AND SUPPLY CLAUSE

Mr Hide said National MP Tau Henare had the wrong impression around his intention and said ACT would continue to support National in a confidence and supply agreement.”

He said it was a matter of principle – one person one vote and seats should be contestable by all comers.

A spokesperson for Prime Minister John Key said ACT’s views were well known.

He said it had never occurred to him that a National government would be even contemplating having separate Maori seats, “so I didn’t write it in our confidence and supply agreement,” he told Radio New Zealand. We have all sorts of discussions with support parties, we’re not about to start conducting those in the media,” the spokesperson said.

“We are working through arrangements for the super city.”

The Royal Commission which reported on Auckland’s local government structure recommended reserved Maori seats but the Government scrapped that when it set out its plans for the city. .

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The Maori Party has been lobbying to overturn the Government’s decision and both sides have been looking for a compromise