Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to talk about penalty rates and the effect they have on the community at large in Australia. Penalty rates are paid to workers who work unsociable hours. We include unsociable hours to be beyond five pm in the afternoon and Sundays—times when families generally spend time together. Yesterday, the Prime Minister was asked by the member for Gorton to share evidence that cutting penalty rates would create jobs. Those opposite, particularly those on the back bench, seem to be intent on spreading the fallacy that this will occur. We got more lessons from Malcolm on how we should ask questions, but no response to the question and no evidence.

Equity is the way to prosperity, not trickle-down economics, and that is all we are getting dished up from that side. They may have changed Prime Minister, but they have not changed tack. They are still coming after Australia's workers. They are still coming after people's pay packets. They are coming after driving down wages in this country, which is going to drive down equity. I will leave you with a few comments that I got from people in the electorate yesterday: Michelle said, 'We need some family time;' Marianne said, 'I do not want our economy to be based on wage theft;' and Susan said, 'When is he convening parliament on a Sunday?' That is a fair question: when is he going to convene parliament on a Sunday? (Time expired)