Bula Vinaka Issy,

You can't ruffle me today, our "Boy" 22, in Fiji is doing well at his work in the Design Office, and his manager has given him a very good report, and a small pay rise, which will help, as I understand his mother is not well, and he lost one of his older sisters not that long ago. He tells us "no girlfriend, no time for girls", doesn't drink or smoke, no gambling, just church group. He is boarding with an aunt, and supporting his mum as well. Will send him a good "birthday" present in July

The working poor have been created by excessive bureaucrat salaries which caused the imbalance & are driving up costs & prices.
Freezing Public service salaries from $200,00 upwards will bring low wages back to where they are again economically viable for employers.
The point is that too many are paid too much for nothing being achieved. Do not confuse professionals with un-required bureaucrats. Those bureaucrats who do serve some purpose have to accept that we the taxpayers shouldn't have to pay them above their level of competence & merit.
The Peter Principle must be done away with asap.

A $1/hr increase doesn't achieve half as much as a $1/hr cut in bureaucrat salaries would !

Wages go up 5%
Then there's payroll tax
So cost of business goes up like 8%
So then businesses have to put prices up 15%

And everyone is paying more a whole lot more than what was gained
it's a race to the bottom

Armchair,
If the cost of business goes up 8%, why would they have to raise their prices nearly double that?

Aidan,
You really have no clue how things work in business do you ! To put it simple, business has to make a profit, the Public Service doesn't have to do anything except just being there !