Emma Husar (Lindsay, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to talk about the Turnbull government's fundamental refusal to acknowledge the importance of wages as the driver of economic growth. People on low- and middle-incomes spending money in their local shops, bars, restaurants, sports clubs, gyms, hair salons and beauticians is what drives local economies. It is vital that people have money to spend. One of the most important functions of government is ensuring workers have got money to spend and ensuring that wage rises keep pace with inflation. But this government's track record on wages is simply appalling. They are standing by while real wages stagnate. They actively campaigned for a reduction in penalty rates. Their response to wage scandals covered by Fairfax at 7-Eleven was absolutely pitiful. Despite evidence that underpayment of superannuation, which is a worker's delayed wage, is much higher than previously thought, this government have barely lifted a finger. Under the Turnbull government, wage growth in Australia is stagnant. Wages are falling in real terms whilst the cost of living is rising. Workers are simply struggling to make ends meet. Company profits have risen 40 per cent over the last year, while wages are declining in real terms. Wages growth remains at the lowest level since the Australian Bureau of Statistics started keeping records in 1997.

People in my electorate who I represent are feeling it. They are frustrated and they are reining in their spending. After rent, mortgage, food and rising power bills, which are also set to go up another 16 per cent, more than ever they are weighing up whether to spend what is left over in High Street or Queen Street or in fact on other things such as undertaking renovations, which would employ local tradies. I want all the workers of Western Sydney, all of our 12,000 people affected, to know that Malcolm Turnbull and his ministers actively campaigned for the Fair Work Commission to cut penalty rates. It shows absolute contempt for the people in my electorate. The census—that is, the one that actually worked in 2011—data actually shows that the residents of Lindsay will be hit hard by the Turnbull government's refusal to stop the Fair Work Commission cutting penalty rates. More than 12,000 people who I represent in the retail, food and accommodation industries will be affected by these cuts. That is one in six workers in our local community who stand to lose up to $77 per week.

Again according to the 2011 census—and I would refer to the more current one if it were available; however, we do not really need to digress and go there—retail is the second largest industry in Lindsay, employing 8,093. Food and hospitality is the eighth biggest industry, employing 3,987 workers. The lives of 12,080 people and their families will be impacted by this decision. Cuts to penalty rates are bad news for our local economy, too. Workers will have even less money to spend locally, and our local economy could face having up to $48 million absolutely ripped out of it over the next year.

Labor is determined to stop this damage being inflicted on our local workers and our local economies. We know that this decision will affect more women and young people and hurt our local economies. It is bizarre, but not unsurprising, that the member for Moncrieff, who has the highest number of people who are affected by this, also voted to cut penalty rates for so many people in his own electorate. In a bizarre attempt, the Liberals have attempted to blame Labor for their poor decision. Federal Labor and various state Labor governments and oppositions were the only ones to make clear and unequivocal submissions against cutting penalty rates.

On Monday Labor brought forward a private member's bill to prevent the wages of workers relying on the award from being cut. Labor's bill would stop the cut to penalty rates from taking effect, which would have a major impact in my electorate. This would ensure that penalty rates would not be cut in the future if it resulted in a reduction in workers' take-home pay. Members opposite, members of this Liberal government, are expected next week to block the introduction of the bill to protect penalty rates. I say shame on them. With this government holding a one-seat majority, a single Liberal or National MP—it is a shame there are not more of them here—could cross the floor on this issue and vote with Labor and the crossbenches to stop penalty rates being cut. I urge all of them to do that in the interests of every single worker in this country who is affected by this decision. Turnbull's Liberal-National government is absolutely out of touch.

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