Following the government’s announcement of a 45-cent-an-hour increase to the minimum wage from April 1, Times-Age reporter KATE JUDSON hit the streets to ask if anyone feels shortchanged.
Sandra Rankin
It’s good for the lower-wage earners, but it has a consequence, doesn’t it? Everything else goes up, unfortunately, so we are kind of stuck in this cycle of just everything spiralling. It’s not worth it, is it?
Tanja Heathcote
The minimum wage is still a bit low for the cost of living and the standard of living we’ve got in New Zealand. It’s better than nothing. It would be great to get more people spending.
Wake Matthews
Only 45 cents… I am just wondering how they are going to cover it, that’s all really. Otherwise, if it doesn’t make a proper change, if it ends up making our groceries high, I don’t know if it really matters. If someone on minimum wage is getting higher pay but then they’ve got to go and pay more at the checkout, it doesn’t weigh up.
Tangiwai Haney
It should be higher, but it would affect smaller businesses. People can’t survive on what it is at the moment. It’s a bit of a catch-22 really.
Meg Speirs
I know that people at that end of the wage spectrum are struggling. It probably won’t make a huge difference – and who’s actually paying for it?
Jo Watkins
It’s not good. Some customers are complaining that my sushi is expensive, but some of the customers are saying that I have to put up my price. I don’t know what to do – with the price increase.
Bryce Wishart
It’s helpful with the cost of living. That would be about right for everyone – everything helps. Employers; it doesn’t hurt them too much.
Lina Goldstein
It’s pathetic because I think it’s hard enough for people to survive as it is, with rent and mortgage and the cost of living being so expensive. It doesn’t help anyone, young people or old.
Debra Lodge-Schnellenberg
Forty-five cents is a good start, but the minimum wage and the living wage need to be the same. That’s the bottom line. This government needs to focus on the cost of living rather than its right-wing, anti-establishment racist policies.
Amy Matthews
It’s quite a bit, isn’t it?
