Legislation to ensure 16 and 17-year-old workers are eligible to be paid what their older counterparts has cleared its first hurdle in parliament.
Green MP Sue Bradford's member's bill aims to abolish the law that sets the youth rate at 80% of the minimum wage.
When the minimum hourly rate is boosted to $10.25 next month the youth rate will be over $2 less than that, at $8.20 per hour. Currently the minimum wage is $9.50 and the youth rate $7.60.
Bradford argues that is discriminatory to 16 and 17-year-olds who do similar duties to workers aged 18 and over.
She, says pressure on giving pay parity to youth workers has to be maintained if the legislation is to become law.
Bradford says protest action by young workers and unions has been critical to her bill getting this far and the campaigning will need to continue.
The bill passed its first reading by 71 votes to 50 - with
National and Act voting against it. It will now be considered by a
select committee.
