Full Breakdown
Greens Propose Overhaul of Apprentice Training Wage and Support Packages
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Proposal
The Green Party, announced by co-leaders Marama Davidson and Chloë Swarbrick at a Remuera construction site, intends to eliminate the current training wage for apprentices. The training wage is $19.16 per hour, 80 % of the adult minimum wage of $23.95. The party says apprentices should receive full adult wages and proposes a $2,000 equipment grant for each apprentice, a $2,000 completion bonus for employers that support apprentices to finish their qualifications, and an additional $30 million annually for Maori- and Pasifika-led training programmes that include pastoral support, job matching and first-job assistance.
Background & Context
They argue that the existing lower wage forces apprentices to focus on making ends meet rather than on learning their trade, limiting the pipeline of builders, electricians, plumbers, mechanics and other tradespeople needed for housing and renewable-energy projects.
Financial Implications
Infometrics-verified modelling places the annual cost of the apprenticeship package at $117.35 million for four years. The $30 million Maori- and Pasifika-focused component is part of that total. A separate proposal to provide a $380-a-week stipend for students undertaking compulsory placements in health and education fields would cost between $74 million and $80 million per year, with an additional $1,500 relocation allowance per student.
Official Statements & Responses
Davidson echoed the need for a skilled workforce to meet housing and renewable-energy targets. The party frames the policy as a means to close the pay gap between students on placement and fully trained workers.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
One outlet reports the Greens plan to abolish the training wage entirely, while another describes the policy as a reduction of the training wage to 60 % of the adult minimum and a three-year freeze at that level. Both sources agree on the $2,000 equipment grant and employer bonus but differ on the exact wage-adjustment mechanism. No detailed timeline for implementation or parliamentary debate has been provided.