Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for her question and for her dedication to getting wages moving for working people in this country. We said that we'd act to get wages moving and we have delivered. We said that we would act on the annual wage review. Those opposite said the sky would fall in. Workers, as a result of the award system around the country, are now being paid more as a result of the action that the government took.

We said that we would act on the aged-care review. Those opposite, when they were in government, said the government shouldn't even make a submission saying that aged-care workers deserve a pay rise. This government said that we should. We did, and we've had the first part of the decision from the commission backing a wage increase for people who work in the aged-care sector.

But we've also argued that you need to change the law to get wages moving. Those opposite delayed for 10 years while they deliberately tried to keep wages low. In the Senate right now they are continuing to try to delay getting wages moving with the secure jobs, better pay bill. There are 19 amendments to be debated in the Senate—19 amendments that have been put forward. In nine hours of debate, because of the behaviour of, principally, Senator Cash, how many amendments do you think the Senate's got through?

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