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

This morning I met with a group of young retail workers aged 16 and up who all shared the same challenges: they were paid junior rates. Serena, a 19-year-old supermarket worker, told us she receives just 82 cents on the dollar compared to her adult counterparts. Another worker shared that she earns less than the people she manages. I can relate to many of their stories. As many of you know, I worked during my school years to help my parents pay my course fees. This experience taught me firsthand how unfair the system is.

At 18 years of age, a worker earns only 68 cents on the dollar. Young adults don't get discounts on petrol, food, university fees or rent, so why should they be paid less than for doing the same work? Your salary should reflect your ability, not your age. It's time for equal pay for equal work. Adult wages should equal adult wages. I thank the SDA union for their hard work on this important campaign.