Cathy O'Toole (Herbert, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) families in regional and rural Australia rely on penalty rates to survive;

(b) the Fair Work Commission's (FWC's) decision to cut penalty rates will hurt retail and hospitality workers and their families in regional and rural Australia;

(c) the take home pay of families in regional and rural Australia will be severely impacted as a result of the FWC's decision to cut Sunday and public holiday penalty rates for retail and hospitality workers;

(d) cutting penalty rates in regional and rural areas would also have a devastating flow-on impact for regional economies; and

(e) the McKell Institute estimates that disposable income in regional areas will fall by between $174.6 and $748.3 million if penalty rates are cut in hospitality and retail awards;

(2) condemns Government Members and Senators who called for cuts to penalty rates and their continuous pressuring of the FWC to reduce penalty rates; and

(3) calls on:

(a) Government Members and Senators to stand with Labor to protect low paid workers take home pay; and

(b) the House to support Labor's Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Take Home Pay) Bill 2017, to amend the Fair Work Act 2009.

I am proud to rise in this place to move this motion and stand up for what is fair, just and decent. I am here to stand against another of this government's relentless attacks on the most vulnerable and lowly-paid workers; quite frankly, enough is enough. I am here to stand up for the people that I represent—regional and rural workers, who rely heavily on penalty rates. The economy in the Herbert electorate relies heavily on university students. Many university students obtain work in the retail, hospitality and accommodation sectors. These students are not saving money to buy a home; they are spending every dollar earned in the local economy. They are buying smashed avo on toast from the local cafe! Why would this government want to give one of the biggest pay cuts since the Great Depression to these students and other workers? In a city where unemployment is high, our economy cannot afford to have over 13,000 people receive a pay cut. This government is so out of touch with the basic and fundamental needs of regional, rural and remote Queensland communities.

It was of no surprise to me when Senator 'Gold Card' Ian Macdonald stood to support cuts to penalty rates but was very happy to support his own interests. Just what does Senator 'Gold Card' Macdonald stand up for? Is he standing up for the over 13,000 workers in the Herbert electorate affected by the cuts to penalty rates? No. Is he standing up for the 16,000 workers affected in Leichhardt? No. Is he standing up for the 13,000 workers affected in Dawson? No. Is he standing up for the politicians who are getting their gold card travel cut? Yes. Is he standing up for politicians who have to survive on a paltry $200,000-a-year salary? Yes. The reality is that Senator 'Gold Card' Macdonald is not standing up for over 42,000 people in North Queensland—and let us not forget the member for Leichardt, Warren Entsch, who is also worried about the loss of his gold card travel instead of being worried about the 16,000 workers in his electorate.

The simple fact is, this government has absolutely no idea what it means for low-income workers and families to lose between $50 and $77 a week from their pay packet. Let me be very clear: working longer hours for the same take-home pay is a pay cut. This decision is nothing short of unjust and unfair. On Friday, 17 March, I was proud to rally with the Queensland Council of Unions Townsville branch members to start our campaign to fight cuts to penalty rates. We were outside Senator Macdonald's office at 8 am, but there was no sign of him. The sign on his office door explains why: his office opens Monday to Friday, 8.30 am to 5 pm. The reality is that Senator Macdonald does not understand the importance of penalty rates for low-income workers; he is handsomely compensated for his extended hours of work, and we all know that he will fight to protect his conditions.

I was elected to represent the people of Herbert and I am here in this place to be the strong voice in Canberra for the one-in-six workers in my electorate who will be affected by these savage cuts. I am here to stand up for people like Jaydon. He is a fourth-year law student, currently studying at James Cook University. He is engaged. He and his fiancee live in a small one-bedroom unit and pay $250 per week in rent. Jaydon works six days a week to survive. He works as a barista on weekends specifically to boost his income. He is a casual on the Fast Food Industry Award. The Fair Work decision means that Jaydon could lose $50 a week. I am asking someone in the Turnbull government to please explain to Jaydon why he deserves a pay cut. I am calling on the Turnbull government to support the 13,000 workers in Townsville and the more than 42,000 workers across North Queensland and to support workers like Jaydon by standing with Labor and supporting our private member's bill. (Time expired)

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