Tim Hammond (Perth, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to join my colleagues to condemn this government and this Prime Minister for their sheer, rank indifference to the penalty rate cut, which will affect pharmacy workers, retail workers, fast-food workers and hospitality workers. Let us look at what this means to mums and dads in my great state of Western Australia. The numbers are stark. Tens of thousands of mums and dads will be affected in their hip pockets because of this cruel and heartless cut to penalty rates, to which this government is squibbing on any meaningful response. In my electorate, just go down any of the streets that pulse through my community of Perth—Beaufort Street, Angove Street or Fitzgerald Street—and ask those workers what a one-quarter cut to their pay on Sundays will mean to their ability to run a budget. How out of touch is this government, with the Prime Minister saying that these cuts are modest. Try telling that to the mums and dads carefully planning a budget around their penalty rates.

If that is not enough, the Premier of Western Australia, Colin Barnett, is calling penalty rates unfair and says he expects a backlash from unions. Well done to those unions who have run the campaign protecting penalty rates—the SDA and United Voice. Colin Barnett expects a backlash from the unions? My message right now to Colin Barnett is: Sunshine, that is nothing like the backlash you are going to get on election day from the community and all those workers being hurt. Western Australians should vote that state government out. (Time expired)