Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

National should show 'guts' over youth rate - Douglas

Updated at 6:38 am on 18 March 2010

ACT Party MP Sir Roger Douglas says he's disappointed the National Party is refusing to support his attempt to reinstate youth pay rates for 16 and 17-year-olds.

The MP cites, as a reason for the proposed law change, figures showing youth unemployment doubling to 18.5% in the 2009 December quarter from the same period the year before.

National says it believes its focus on creating jobs is a more effective way to combat youth unemployment.

Sir Roger Douglas says National is playing politics and putting its own popularity ahead of the thousands of young people without jobs, and he would have expected the party to have shown more guts on this issue.

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