# Greens propose to abolish training wage

> Green Party aims to end training wage to boost apprentice pay and reduce poverty.
- Title: Greens propose to abolish training wage · RNZ | Shortify
- Summary: Green Party aims to end training wage to boost apprentice pay and reduce poverty. Green Party proposes abolishing the training wage to increase apprentice…
- Keywords: green party, training wage, apprentices, chloe swarbrick, marama davidson, labour, act, national, winston peters, christopher luxon, politics, news
- Source: RNZ — https://rnz.co.nz/news/politics_election-2026/1968685/greens-propose-to-abolish-training-wage
- Author: RNZ | Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa
- Published: 2026-10-17T03:09:34+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: green party, training wage, apprentices, chloe swarbrick, marama davidson, labour, act, national, winston peters, christopher luxon, politics, news
## Green Party proposes
Green Party would abolish the training wage to address apprentice poverty.

> Low pay, insecure work, and a lack of pastoral support mean that instead of focusing on learning their trade, our apprentices spend too much time worried about making ends meet.
## Current training wage
Training wage is $19.16, 80 percent of adult minimum wage of $23.95.
## Apprentice numbers low
Apprentice numbers at 15-year low due to low pay and insecurity.

> Low pay, insecure work, and a lack of pastoral support mean that instead of focusing on learning their trade, our apprentices spend too much time worried about making ends meet.
## Green policy details
Greens offer $2000 equipment grant and $380-a-week stipends for health workers.

> The Greens' costings, which have been verified by Infometrics, have put the policy on $117.35m a year for four years.
## Labour's stance
Labour wants to review training wage impact on youth employment.

> The key thing we'd want to look at there is making sure that we're not doing anything that makes things worse for younger employees.
## ACT's proposal
ACT plans to reduce training wage to 60 percent of minimum wage for three years.
## Opposition views
National, New Zealand First oppose Green policy on business costs.

> No, we want to make sure that businesses actually take a chance on young people, and it's one of the ways that they might just step out and actually take a chance on a young person.
## Key takeaway

Green Party proposes abolishing the training wage to increase apprentice pay and address poverty, with Labour and ACT offering alternatives.