Carina Garland (Chisholm, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

We are in the midst of a wages crisis, a cost-of-living crisis inherited from the previous government who sought to keep wages low, lacking ambition for Australia. Today the Albanese Labor government has passed through this House important legislation to get wages moving again—after a decade with those opposite presiding over a horrible period for Australian workers and communities.

My community is feeling the impacts of low wages and the cost of living. United Workers Union members, local workers in my electorate of Chisholm, are standing up for decent wages. Local, highly skilled workers have been taking action at Pfizer in my electorate for a deal that is fair after receiving a poor offer. While profits have been increasing and Pfizer recorded a historic profit of $25 billion last financial year, wages have stalled. This is bad for everyone in my community. It's less money to spend at the local shops and, with the added pressure of growing job insecurity or unreasonable workloads, it's less time spent in the community—at our sporting clubs, neighbourhood houses and school groups. I met with the local Pfizer workers, and they are proud of their skilled work and love their jobs, but love won't pay the bills. I hope a good deal can be struck that gets wages moving again and our community thriving.

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