Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Leader of the Opposition from moving the following motion immediately—That the House:

(1) notes that:

(a) on Monday, the Prime Minister refused to guarantee that no worker would be worse off because of his industrial relations changes;

(b) today, the Government has introduced legislation which leaves workers worse off;

(c) at a time when wages are already at record lows, the Prime Minister's changes will mean workers' take-home pay will be cut;

(d) while claiming the economy is going so well that Jobkeeper and JobSeeker can be cut, the Prime Minister is using the pandemic as cover to cut take-home pay;

(e) it's not just businesses who've had a difficult year, workers have too;

(f) nurses, supermarket workers, cleaners, childcare workers, teachers, truck drivers, aged care workers and all the frontline workers in Australia who have kept the nation running during this pandemic are being given a Christmas gift of a pay cut by the Prime Minister; and

(g) this is not the first time the Government has attacked take-home pay; and

(2) therefore, condemns the Prime Minister for using the pandemic to cut the take-home pay of Australian workers.

The fact is that the heroes of the pandemic deserve better than this Scrooge of a Prime Minister. We're introducing legislation—

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