Dan Repacholi (Hunter, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to say a few things. I heard the last two speakers, and they have been very unhappy about the right to disconnect. The right to disconnect is a big thing that we needed to bring forward, and the Greens have done that with us. It's a fantastic thing that we have brought forward. Why should you be interrupted during a weekend or after hours by your manager, the owner of the business or whoever it is for something that is not needed and that can be spoken about the next day? Why does that need to happen? The right to disconnect is a fantastic thing. They're saying there will be court case after court case. The USU currently has this in their New South Wales EA agreement right now. They haven't had a single court case, and it's been in since July last year.

They're also talking about the same job, same pay and the closing labour hire loopholes legislation. This is one of the best things that could happen in the Hunter. I ran my whole campaign in the Hunter on this, around people working in the mining industry getting paid up to $50,000 less for doing the same job. There are two of you guys in here right now. How do you think that's fair? It's not fair. You all know that, just as I do. In the regions where the mineworkers work hard, long hours, it's definitely not fair.

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