Anne Stanley (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) the Government's workplace relations policies are getting wages moving again, with annual real wages growing for the past three consecutive quarters;

(b) nominal real wages grew 4.1 per cent in the year to the June quarter 2024;

(c) annual real wages grew 0.3 per cent through the year to the June quarter 2024; and

(d) this result comes off the back of inheriting a real wage decline of 3.4 per cent at the time of the election; and

(2) recognises the Government is laying strong foundations for a better future for Australian workers, their families and communities, by:

(a) advocating for the wages of Australia's low paid in three consecutive submissions to the Annual Wage Review that the real wages of low paid workers not go backwards;

(b) supporting pay rises for aged care workers of up to 28 per cent through submissions to the Fair Work Commission's Aged Care Work Value Case;

(c) having a 15 per cent pay rise for early childhood education and care workers;

(d) getting almost half a million more workers covered by current enterprise agreements, boosting wages and conditions; and

(e) making gender equality an object of the Fair Work Act and narrowing the gender pay gap to 12 per cent, the lowest level on record.

In his first letter to Timothy, St Paul notes the following:

For the Scripture says, 'You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,' and, 'The labourer deserves his wages.'

Both aspects of this verse are true, but I'm less concerned with the speech about the oxen than I am about labourers and workers. In fairness, St Paul was probably referring to those who work for the gospel, but the principle still applies. That is that workers who are owed their wages deserve them and have worked hard for them. They are not a gift from the boss, although the unconscionable number of wage theft cases may have you thinking otherwise.

Australians are working harder than ever before. One example is technology, which on the one hand has brought so many advantages but also has made us more connected to work than ever before. The government's 'right to disconnect' laws recognise this and are—

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

Sitting suspended from 12:41 to 12:52

The government's 'right to disconnect' laws recognise this and are one way to help workers from undue expectations and pressures after work. Australians deserve not only their wages but a right to a living wage—that is, a wage that allows them to keep pace with the cost of living. It's no secret that the cost of living has made life incredibly tough and challenging for many Australians. This, coupled with flatlined wages growth, has created the perfect storm for millions of Australians.

By any assessment of their last term in office, the opposition and their colleagues showed that they had no regard whatsoever for the real wages of Australians. They were content to let business profits and the pays of executives soar while those on basic wages struggled. Thankfully, with the election of the Albanese government, those days have ended. This government understands the struggles of paying for the weekly shop, the rising cost of utility bills, the price of a tank of petrol and the cost of school shoes. That's why we introduced the fairer tax cuts, especially targeted at those on modest wages, and that's why we've given every Australian household $300 towards their electricity bills. We've also introduced 60-day scripts and have frozen the cost of those scripts for the next 12 months.

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

Sitting suspended from 12:53 to 13:02

But we have actually gone further than this, delivering real wages growth for working Australians. I'm proud that this government's workplace policies are getting wages moving again, with annual wages growing for the past three consecutive quarters. Indeed, nominal wages growth is 4.1 per cent in the year to the June quarter 2024, while annual real wages grew by 0.3 per cent through the year to the June quarter 2024. This result comes off the back of inheriting real wage decline of 3.4 per cent at the time of the election. That figure is a shameful indictment of those opposite.

In addition, the Albanese Labor government has unashamedly advocated for the wages of Australia's lowest paid, in three consecutive submissions to the annual wage review, ensuring that real wages of low-paid workers do not go backwards. In relation to some of the most vulnerable and underpaid, we've gone even further—much further. We've supported pay rises for aged-care workers of up to 28 per cent and a 15 per cent pay rise for early childhood education and care workers, delivering wage justice for these vital workforces.

The government is about choices, and it's also about priorities. Underpinning this is a government that is fundamentally about values, because those shape your choices and priorities. This government unashamedly values the work of everyday Australians, whatever workplace environment they find themselves in, and this government unashamedly values the right to a proper wage, a living wage, that moves and grows over time in a manner that allows people to pay for life's necessities and a few of life's other things. Of course, there's still much more to do to undress what has been done and what needs to be done for the pressures of everyday Australians. The real movement in wages of working Australians under this government is a good step, because all workers—from the time of Saint Paul to now—need to enjoy the benefits of their labour.

Zoe McKenzie (Flinders, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the motion seconded?

Sam Rae (Hawke, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, and I reserve my right to speak.

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

Sitting suspended from 13:05 to 13:13

Aaron Violi (Casey, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It must be a Monday in parliament, because we've another motion from the government patting themselves on the back, telling the Australian people how lucky they are and how they've never had it better. Every week I get to stand up and have the opportunity to actually share what's happening with the challenges of the community, although I was a little confused when this motion came through, because it spoke about nominal real wages. I've spent a bit of time in business, did a degree and know a little bit about economics. I'd never heard the term 'nominal real wages'. The reason I'd never heard that term is that it doesn't exist. 'Nominal real wages' is not actually a term that's used, because nominal wages looks at total wages and how they've increased. They might have increased 4.1 per cent in the year to the June quarter. But real wages looks at your nominal wages, includes inflation and then works out, on those statistics: 'Are you going forward? Are you going backward?' I'll give the benefit of the doubt to the member for Werriwa. I don't know whether she wrote this motion herself. Many times ministers will write them and people will sign them. So, potentially, the Treasurer and his department think that 'nominal real wages' are a new term we are going to look at. Maybe it's an honest mistake. I'd be concerned if the Treasurer himself doesn't know the difference. Potentially he is looking to spin and he's put 'real' in there because many people talk about 'real wages' and think that that's what they take home. I'll let the Treasurer inform us of whether that's an honest mistake and he's not across the economic detail or if he's deliberately trying to provide a little bit of spin for us.

The national accounts just came out, and the government are telling us we've never had it better. One statistic they didn't want to put in, another important measure of how the Australian people are going, is disposable income. They don't like talking about real disposable income. The real household disposable income fell two per cent over the year on a per capita basis.

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

Sitting suspended from 13:15 to 13:24

From March 2022 to June 2024, real disposable income fell 8.7 per cent on a per capita basis. That per capita basis is crucial, because that is what everyone is feeling in the community of Casey and all across the country. That's the actual number of what they're feeling. While real wages are important at the macro level—obviously migration and other factors show that—at the micro level, households are struggling and they know that. They know that because everything is going up. Health is up 11 per cent since the election; education is up 11 per cent; food is up 12 per cent; electricity is up 14 per cent, even after the rebates; housing is up 15 per cent; rent is up 16 per cent; financial and insurance costs are up 17 per cent; and gas is up 33 per cent. Yet the government, the Treasurer and the Prime Minister pat themselves on the back and tell us that we've never had it better. As we go through this motion—

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

Sitting suspended from 13 : 25 to 16 : 00

Debate interrupted.