Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Margarita Murray-Stark has worked as a room attendant in some of the most expensive hotels in Melbourne for over 30 years, and she has worked every Sunday. When she was widowed, her Sunday penalty rate and her public holiday penalty rate helped pay for her children's expenses. They helped her through the most difficult period of her life. But this government is doing nothing to help Margarita or many of her co-workers. This government, when given the opportunity this morning to stand with Labor, refused to let us move a motion that would call on the Fair Work Commission to stop their cut to take-home pay.

The Fair Work Commission's decision to cut take-home pay, to cut the penalty rates, of some of Australia's lowest paid workers is cruel. It is a body-blow to people trying to survive on penalty rates. This is a government not willing to stand with our lowest paid workers but willing to give our highest paid workers, including themselves a tax cut. Last year in the budget they gave themselves a tax cut, but they are refusing to reverse decisions that see our lowest paid workers cop a pay cut. This is a government willing to give big business a tax cut but not willing to stand with low-paid workers who will be hit with a pay cut. These are the priorities of this government, the Liberal-National government. They care little for workers and move about themselves and their mates in big business. (Time expired)