Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

I can, because it is urgent that we get wages moving again. We understand from all of the public debate we've seen over the last few months, backing in the last 10 years of inaction and deliberate design features of economy being low wages, that for the opposition it's never the right time for workers to get a pay rise. It was never the right time during the 10 years they were in office, and it's not the right time now that they are in opposition.

Well, we have had enough. Workers have had enough. It's time to get wages moving again. The best way to do this is by encouraging more agreements to be made and stop a race to the bottom on wages. It's good to see that Senator Colbeck has a little bit of fight left in him, because no-one else on the other side does. Australian workers have waited long enough, and, while waiting, they have turned up every day and done their job.

See, Senator Colbeck, I knew you could be an example for your colleagues! Workers have been waiting. They've been turning up every day and doing their job. It's now time we did ours and legislated for secure jobs and better pay. Labor cares about working people. We care about giving them a pay rise so they can keep up with the rising— (Time expired)