A Queenstown fish and chips vendor fears a high new median hourly rate for sponsored migrant staff could kill her business.
Erik’s Fish & Chips’ Anna Arndt was referring to the median rate of $27.76 an hour, which comes into effect in July.
She said two of her four staff were sponsored, and she was about to take on another one.
"I love to look after my staff," she said, pointing out she paid them more than the new minimum wage of $21.20 an hour.
"But the problem is, I’ll have to close my business, basically because I couldn’t afford to be paying everyone $27.76 an hour, because if I’m paying the sponsored staff that, I have to pay all my staff that rate, at least."
To afford that, she would have to sell a scoop of chips for $10, she said.
"Already, we are suffering enough with inflation, and the effects of Covid."
She pointed out $27.76 an hour equated to $57,740 for a year’s work.
Arndt accepted the Government was wanting New Zealanders to take hospitality jobs, but said they did not want to work in Queenstown, partly because it was expensive.
"I’ve been advertising now for six weeks [for staff], I haven’t had one New Zealander apply."
She said an exemption for Queenstown and Wanaka needed to be considered.
- Philip Chandler
