The minimum wage, workers' rights and immigration are some of the many policies being discussed by political parties in the lead-up to this month's general election.
The minimum wage rates are reviewed every year.
Currently, the adult minimum wage is $14.25 an hour, which equates to $570 for a 40-hour week.
The starting-out and training minimum wages are $11.40 an hour - 80% of the adult minimum wage.
''Living wage'' campaigners say $18.80 an hour is needed to feed a family of two adults and two children in New Zealand - the income necessary not just to survive, but to live a decent if modest life.
National says raising the legal minimum wage to near that figure would cost employers billions and cost tens of thousands of jobs and it has slowly increased the minimum wage as the country can afford it.
It raised the minimum wage by 50c to its current level from April 1.
Since 2008, it has raised the wage in 50c or 25c increments.
If it should be in government, the Green Party has promised an immediate increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour by December, and annual increases up to $18 an hour by 2017.
It would also pay core public sector workers the living wage of $18.80 an hour.
Labour would boost the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and to $16.25 in early 2015, and is reportedly considering adopting the Greens' plan for the minimum wage.
In context of these figures, the revelations migrant workers in Dunedin are being paid as little as $4.37 an hour are shocking.
A special investigation by this newspaper last week found migrant workers could work up to 70 hours a week, were given no breaks, often worked weekends and could get no holidays or sick leave.
The stories uncovered are not restricted to Dunedin, of course, and are sadly likely only to be the tip of the iceberg, as many workers are too afraid to speak out, and are desperate to hold on to any job - no matter how poorly paid.
The problem is compounded as employers may be family or friends.
The issues could be down to ignorance of New Zealand standards, or the feeling that migrants who came from low-wage countries would be prepared to work for little here.
Tackling the issue is also complicated as employers often falsify timebooks and accounts.
It appears only a small number of complaints that are made to the Labour Inspectorate through the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment are resolved, with a former inspector saying the inspectorate is desperately under-resourced.
It would be anathema to most New Zealanders to realise such exploitation and sweatshop conditions exist in ''God's Own''.
It seems sadly yet another of the myths being exposed in our country, to accompany those of our clean green image, corruption-free officialdom and egalitarian society.
Migrants working and living legally in this country deserve better.
They have often left impoverished, hostile and dangerous conditions in their home countries to search for a better life.
It is pleasing to see local National list MP and Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse speak out against exploitative employers, saying they will be held to account, and legislation currently going through Parliament will better enable that, and six more inspectors would be funded.
But Labour and the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions say many more are needed to tackle the problem.
Of course, exploitation is not isolated to the migrant community.
It is a salutary reminder to all employers to consider whether they are paying ''a fair day's pay for a fair day's work''.
Wages obviously need to be balanced with what is affordable, and individual businesses must address that, along with the Government.
While opinions will always be divided, everyone will agree $4.37 an hour is a blight on this country's name, a gross abuse by employers, an insult to employees, and clearly an impossible amount on which to live and bring up a family.
