At it again

Well...Sue Bradford, the perpertrator of the anti-smacking bill is at it again. Will the woman never learn?? Actually, it's more like, "will New Zealand never learn?" We seem to constantly be supporting her stupidity. Well, the goverment is anyway. And as we know the government is not really a true representation of NZ anyway.

They've just passed a bill that "provides for 16 and 17-year-old workers to move on to adult rates after 200 hours of work." Sounds nice, doesn't it? By the same token, now that I've worked at my job for over year my pay should go up by at least 65% - brilliant isn't it?

I don't think the youth work rate is that low. $9 an hour is pretty damn good, it's better than what a lot of us started on and we managed fine. The truth is, most 16-17 year olds live at home, don't pay rent and don't have regular bills. The only thing they'd pay for is whatever it is they'd pay to go out and have fun. They don't need that much money. And I'm seriously doubtful that most 16-17 year olds are responsible enough to manage money that well anyway.

Furthermore, what self respecting employer is going to employ a teenager when they can employ an adult at the same price? The whole point of the youth rate being lower is that employers will only hire young people if they can work them harder and pay them less.

Don't tell me I'm being unfair and cynical because it's true! Youth rates suck because that is the nature of life. Teenagers don't need to work to survive in the world, they work to support their social lives and (hopefully) to learn the value of a dollar.

Plus, by encouraging them to go out and work more we're also encouraging them to quit school earlier. RESULTING IN MORE UNDER-EDUCATED PEOPLE!!! Think about it, if you were 16 years of age, old enough to leave school, absolutely HATE school because, well...it's school and you have the option of getting a job and earning as much as an adult does in 200 days then wouldn't you?

I mean, really. There are no logical teenagers in the world.

This can only be detrimental to our society.