Cassandra Fernando (Holt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Albanese Labor government was elected on the promise of delivering a better future for Australian workers, who bore the brunt of nearly a decade of neglect. As a union organiser in my former life, I'm proud to support a government which set out on delivering this promise from day one.

Among my first votes in this esteemed chamber was supporting the passage of the Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) Bill 2022. During the two decades I was involved in the union movement, family and domestic violence was a recurring issue among my colleagues and members. It is sad that many of them too often had to face the difficult choice between earning a fair day's wage to support themselves and their family and taking time to recuperate from the trauma they faced at home. It is not a choice any individual should be making, particularly in a modern, progressive and equal society like ours. Every Australian deserves to live free from violence and every Australian deserves to be treated with care and dignity. The 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave enshrined in legislation will provide significant relief to everyone suffering from difficult circumstances at home. It will give them the critical time they need to address their family situation and take steps towards protecting themselves.

In the very same week, the government also introduced legislation to introduce Jobs and Skills Australia, enacting a key election commitment to adopt a collaborative approach between trade unions, employer associations and training providers. This new statutory body will provide much-needed independent advice on a range of current, emerging and future workforce skills and training issues. Its advice to government will help inform the policies and programs to ensure Australia's training system delivers the skills that workers need to provide them with the job opportunities they seek.

As demonstrated by the family and domestic violence act, gender equity is a cornerstone of this government's priorities. This has been demonstrated time and time again since taking office, most recently with the Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights Legislation Amendment (Respect at Work) Bill 2022. The passage of this bill means Australia will have a significantly strong and clear legal regulatory framework relating to sexual harassment. It's a crucial step forward in implementing the government's commitment to preventing sexual harassment in Australian workplaces. Most importantly, the bill introduces a positive duty to employers and businesspersons to take responsible and proportionate measures to eliminate sex discrimination, sexual harassment, hostile work environments and victimisation in the workplace.

The splendid work of this government, delivering for Australian workers, is vastly boosted by the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Bill 2022. This landmark legislation makes sure the Australian industrial relations framework keeps workers at its front and centre and is designed to modernise Australia's workplace relations systems and get wages moving again. The bill promotes job security and gender equity, improves workplace conditions and protections, and restores fairness and integrity to the bargaining system and our fair work institutions. A key objective of the bill will help close the gender pay gap by prohibiting pay secrecy clauses that are often used to conceal them and making gender equity an essential objective of the Fair Work Act. Similarly, it will enshrine job security as an object of the Fair Work Act to make clear its importance in the workplace relations system.

Secure, well-paid jobs are a fundamental part of Australia's social and economic fabric, and this government will not allow a weakened and watered-down industrial relations system to exploit Australian workers. I commend the work of the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Tony Burke, the Attorney-General, Mark Dreyfus, and the Minister for Skills and Training, Brendan O'Connor, for being unwavering in upholding this government's commitment to improving the lives of every Australian worker.