A bill that will slash 20% of the wages earned by young people got off to a fiery first day of submissions, on Thursday.
The bill will change the law so 16 to 19 year-olds won't have to be paid more than 80% of the minimum wage, for the first six months in a job.
The Northern Employers and Manufacturers Association said the change will tip the balance in favour of more young people getting into jobs.
Parliament's Transport and Industrial Relations Committee chairman David Bennett twice tried to silence First Union general secretary, Robert Reid.
The first time was when Mr Reid was talking about the late Prime Minister Robert Muldoon and the second when he referred to the member of an employers' group.
