John Hogg (Queensland, Deputy-President) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Abetz, the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Is the minister aware of a recent report by Relationships Forum Australia titled An unexpected tragedy, which shows that, amongst developed countries, Australia has the second-highest proportion of the workforce—22 per cent—working 50 hours a week or more? Aren’t we behind only Japan in working longer hours? Can the minister also confirm that Australia has the second-highest proportion of its workforce—30 per cent—regularly working on weekends? Doesn’t the report highlight the negative impact that these long working hours and weekend work is having on Australian families, with parents concerned that they do not have the time they need to spend with their family? Hasn’t the government’s industrial relations legislation only put more pressure on parents to work longer hours and on weekends, leaving them less time with their children?