Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I also rise today to share with the House my concern at the disturbing footage obtained by the ABC and aired on the 7.30 report last night, showing the impact of inadequate pay and poor working conditions on airport ground staff at Sydney airport.

Aerocare is an Australian company which employs over 2,000 workers responsible for moving baggage, loading passengers and carrying out some safety checks on planes before they fly. But Aerocare also has a responsibility to their workforce. Last night's footage showed Aerocare workers sleeping on bed rolls, on grubby concrete floors amongst the baggage carousels in the bowels of Sydney airport between split four-hour shifts.

This government's support of cuts to penalty rates is indicative of a government which attacks unions and undermines working conditions. It could not care less about working people. As the Transport Workers Union has said, the conditions which we saw last night at Aerocare are an indictment on the Australian workplace under this government. What these workers face is the result of a government which has utterly failed to protect working families. This government needs to ensure that the concerns raised by these workers are addressed because the welfare of these workers is inextricably linked to the welfare of the travelling public.