Louise Miller-Frost (Boothby, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. What does today's annual wage review decision mean for Australian workers, and what has been the response to low-paid workers getting a pay rise?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Boothby for the question. In the seat of Boothby, like in every electorate, every taxpayer is now counting down the days to when every taxpayer gets a tax cut. Every award worker now knows that on the same date, 1 July, they've got a pay rise heading their way. It's a 3.75 per cent increase, which means, once again, we have an annual wage review that is making sure that people are keeping in front of inflation.

Remember that the annual wage review was one of the great controversies during the election campaign. When the Leader of the Opposition, as he then was, and now Prime Minister of Australia said that we were committed to making sure that low-paid workers didn't go backwards, those opposite described it as a 'dangerous policy' for Australia. They can't say, 'That was just a policy of the Morrison government,' because even this morning the words from Senator Hume were that, if low-paid workers got real wages growth, that would be the worst thing for Australia. There is a unity ticket between Senator Hume and the member for Hume, who previously argued that he opposed our laws because they would push up wages. The Leader of the Opposition opposed them because, as he said, they were going to result in higher wages.

As a result of this, we now have had three annual wage reviews that have been brought down in the space of two years. In those two years, under Prime Minister Albanese, we have had a greater increase in the minimum wage than those opposite had in their entire decade in office. In two years, the minimum wage has gone up by more than it did under those opposite in their entire time in office. For full-time workers, the combination of the pay rise and the tax cuts means retail workers are about to have $102 a week extra in their bank accounts and cleaners are about to have $103 a week extra in their bank accounts. Because of the combination of the pay rise and the tax cuts, on 1 July hairdressers will get $106 a week extra in their bank accounts. Minimum wage workers will get $120 a week extra in their bank accounts. Aged-care workers, because of the work that this government has done in supporting a pay rise for aged-care workers, are getting $200 a week extra in their bank accounts. This government said it would get wages moving. Those opposite want people to work longer for less, while this government wants people to earn more and keep more of what they earn.