RNZ: Dr Oliver Hartwich on the case for a lower youth wage
Dr Oliver Hartwich
12 June, 2026
Dr Oliver Hartwich talked to Wallace Chapman on RNZ's The Panel about the New Zealand Initiative's election recommendation to introduce a lower youth wage, which he argued would tackle high youth unemployment by giving 16 and 17 year olds a path into work and structured training.
Dr Hartwich pointed to Central European countries such as Germany and Switzerland, where lower wages are paired with three or four year training programmes leading to a certified qualification, while panellists were divided on whether the idea risked exploiting young workers. Listen below.