Media Advisory
EmploymentEmployment Minister Peter McCardle will be overseas from Friday August 14 until Friday August 28.
He will be visiting the United States for meetings with officials at a state and federal level to discuss employment related issues and programmes. The Minister is particularly interested in the operations of programmes similar to the initiatives being made in this country, such as the one stop shops which will be operated by the Department of Work and Income.
He will visit Washington, Salt Lake City, Boise (Idaho), Los Angeles, and Sacramento.
Mr McCardle's wife will not be accompanying him, but he will be travelling with one staff member, his Senior Private Secretary. They will be flying business class. A detailed itinerary is available from the Minister's office. It is Mr McCardle's first overseas visit since becoming a Minister in the Coalition Government.
He has been eager for some time to examine first hand the American initiatives in employment and welfare reform, and to meet the officials driving those programmes, but the was unable to travel until now due to his legislative commitments. However the legislation on the introduction of the Community Wage, and the Integration and Work Test Bills, are now almost through the House.
He will arrive back in New Zealand on Friday August 28.
The Acting Minister of Employment in Mr McCardle's absence will be John Delamere.