The minimum wage is a ‘Goldilocks’ policy: not too high, not too low. A political consensus on the role and appropriate level of the minimum wage is both possible and desirable.

To help build understanding, this article recommends that the New Zealand Government commission impartial research on a series of issues that continue to be raised in discussions of the minimum wage in New Zealand. The purpose of this research is to build an agreed fact base upon which debate can be had.

The Goldilocks range for the minimum wage is probably between $18 and $25 per hour. More research is required to narrow this range.