Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. Does the Morrison government take responsibility for real wages going backwards, workers being paid below the minimum wage, cuts to penalty rates and wage theft? Won't Australia's lowest-paid workers always be worse off under the Morrison government?

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, under the Labor government, there were 17 per cent funding cuts to the Fair Work Ombudsman's office, 20 per cent staffing cuts—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I just say to the Acting Prime Minister: he wasn't asked about alternatives. He was asked several questions, and certainly the last of those was very open-ended, but he needs to be relevant to the question.

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The relevance in this question relates to jobs, relates to workers. There are more workers in a job now than there ever have been in Australia's history. The employment numbers are higher now than they have ever been in Australia's history, and that's a good thing. The Labor opposition should stop talking down the economy. The Labor opposition needs to talk the economy up.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition on a point of order?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, Mr Speaker, on relevance. The question was about real wages, people being paid the minimum wage, cuts to penalty rates of wages and wage theft. It's all about wages and the fact that this government is seeing real wages go—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition can resume his seat. I say to the Leader of the Opposition: he's accurately restated four-fifths of the question but not the last part, which was very open-ended, about people always being worse off. That is kind of open-ended, so there is some latitude in that.

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The unemployment rate is lower now than it was pre-pandemic. Wages are important, yes—

Opposition members interjecting—

Mr Hill interjecting—

Obviously. Thank you for the acknowledgement.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Bruce will leave, under standing order 94(a).

The member for Bruce then left the chamber.

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

People want work. They want hope. They want aspiration. And they are getting it under the Liberals and Nationals. Indeed, prior to the onset of COVID-19, the economy was on a very, very strong foundation. The government had delivered more than—wait for it—1½ million jobs.

An opposition member: Wages!

And wages relate to jobs. I tell you what: I'd sooner have a job than be unemployed. The best form of welfare is a job. In regional Australia at the moment, there are 67,500 jobs, as identified by the Regional Australia Institute. They're not just in orchards. They're not just in the boning rooms of meat-processing plants. They are in health. They are in education. They are in law firms. They are in accountancy practices. They are good, well-paying jobs at the moment in regional Australia.

But right across the nation we are putting in place the policies—as per the budget last October, as per the budget on 11 May—to incentivise employers to hire people, to pay them the wages. We are under the wage system that was set up under Labor. Under Labor, the Fair Work Ombudsman's office had its staffing slashed, had its funding slashed. Treasury forecasted that the unemployment rate would reach 7½ per cent in the March quarter 2021. Our budget for 2021-22 sees the unemployment rate reaching five per cent by the June quarter, 2022. There are other countries in the world which would love to have those figures. Jobs figures will be out later this week. The Treasurer will have more to say about that, but it will be very positive.

Mr McCormack interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before I call the next question, the Acting Prime Minister will cease interjecting. The members on my left who regularly interject will be ejected. I'm not going to keep referring to the statements I've made.