The brakes have been pulled on Labour's plan to scrap youth rates, with NZ First being the obstacle in the Government's plan of adhering to the election campaign promise.
Employment Minister Willie Jackson told TVNZ1's Q+A, "things change when you become a coalition", when asked about the Labour Party's pledge to get rid of the rate.
The youth rate [ starting out and training wage ] is $13.20, eighty per cent of the minimum wage. The minimum wage is currently $16.50.
"What you say on the campaign and what you want to do is compromised when you become a coalition government," Mr Jackson said.
When Q+A host Corin Dann pointed out scrapping youth rates was said by Labour while in Government, Mr Jackson said "the reality is we are working towards a living wage".
"We agree to disagree sometimes," he said in reference to coalition partners.
"We'll continue to talk with Winston [Peters] and Shane [Jones] over the youth rate."
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