But Hipkins today said a figure for pay equity \u201cwon\u2019t be a specific line item\u201d in Labour\u2019s fiscal plan. <\/p>\n
\u201cNo government would put anything that involves bargaining as a specific line item in their plan,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Hipkins said Labour\u2019s plan to reinstate the previous pay equity scheme was affordable.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ll see our fiscal plan, but when it comes to issues of bargaining, Government doesn\u2019t release the envelope for bargaining publicly. It never has and we\u2019re certainly not going to start doing that now.\u201d<\/p>\n
National finance spokeswoman Nicola Willis said not putting the cost in the plan would be \u201can act of fiscal fraud\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe simple reality is this: they have gone around the country making a commitment that they will fully restore the pay equity regime,\u201d she told the Herald.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe cost of doing that has been public for 18 months. That cost is $11 billion at a minimum. So to say we will simply eliminate that from our fiscal plan is … an act of fiscal fraud and fundamentally undermines the credibility of any commitment Labour makes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Labour’s Chris Hipkins says there won’t be a specific costing for pay equity in the party’s fiscal plan. Photo \/ Sylvie Whinray<\/p>\n
Labour finance spokeswoman Barbara Edmonds also refused to say how much money Labour would put towards pay equity.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will have a sufficient contingency and we\u2019ll show that as part of our fiscal plan,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Contingent liabilities in a Budget are possible costs the Government may incur if an event occurs, such as in this case the settlement of a claim after negotiations. <\/p>\n
Pay equity is listed as an \u201cunquantifiable contingent liability\u201d, so it has no figure attached. There are also quantifiable contingent liabilities, with a given cost.<\/p>\n
Asked by the Herald if there will be a numerical figure attached to pay equity as part of the overall contingency, Edmonds said: \u201cWe will have a sufficient contingency … there will be a sufficient number as part of the contingent liabilities\u201d. <\/p>\n
Pushed on whether New Zealanders will know going into the election how much money Labour would put aside for pay equity, Edmonds said: \u201cThere will be a contingent liability\u201d. <\/p>\n
She said the pay equity number \u201cwill be part of a contingent liability\u201d. <\/p>\n
Asked if she would make that number public or if New Zealanders would just see an overall amount, Edmonds repeated: \u201cIt will be part of a contingent liability.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are also contingent liabilities, but pay equity is obviously the biggest one.\u201d <\/p>\n
Edmonds said pay equity \u201chas always been a negotiation\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt is always generally shown as a contingent liability in the Government\u2019s books. We will be using the same treatment, and it will definitely be sufficient.\u201d<\/p>\n
Barbara Edmonds says the contingent liability will be sufficient to deal with pay equity changes. Photo \/ NZME<\/p>\n