Don't penalise the job opportunities

We need to recognise the changed circumstances of the 21^st century and recalibrate, adapting our labour regulations to the reality of the lifestyle choices of customers and employees.

Our industrial relations system must change to recognise that many workers prefer to work at different times.  A lot of the people who work in the tourism, hospitality and retail sectors want to work outside of traditional work hours to accommodate studies or family obligations.  Far from feeling penalised for working early or late shifts or weekends, it is the first choice for many.

Our system should also stop favouring those who already have a job at the expense of those who want one. This is a carryover of the class struggles of last century and is not only callous but ignores the reality of the modern labour market. Of course, we don’t always earn as much as we would like, but having a job is a lot better than not having one. Laws guaranteeing generous wages for working on weekends are totally worthless if you don’t have a job.

My bill removes regulations that are past their use-by date and will encourage new jobs in a vibrant, resilient 21^st century economy. If the government is serious about the opportunities of the future, it should support my bill.