Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Birmingham, I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) on 10 May 2022, the Prime Minister (Mr Albanese) told Radio National that he supports people's wages 'not going backwards',

(ii) on 21 March 2023, Senator Farrell advised the Senate during question time that 'of course it is our policy that wages not go backwards',

(iii) on 29 March 2023, the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations (Mr Burke) stated, in relation to submissions to the Fair Work Commission determining the minimum wage, that 'our submission goes in on Friday and I'll be making more public comments once the submission is in on Friday. If I put it in these terms: When our submission is in on Friday, people will see that our values haven't changed';

(b) requires the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations to attend the chamber at the conclusion of motions to take note of answers on Thursday, 30 March 2023 to provide a statement to the chamber, of no more than 10 minutes, that outlines the Government's submission to the Fair Work Commission, including whether the Government has maintained its pre-election promise that wages not go backwards, and if its submission will contain the same recommendation as last year's, which recommended that the Fair Work Commission ensure that real wages of Australia's low-paid workers do not go backwards;

(c) any senator may move to take note of the explanation required by paragraph (b);

(d) any motion under paragraph (c) may be debated for no longer than 30 minutes, shall have precedence over all business until determined, and senators may speak to the motion for not more than 5 minutes each.

Question agreed to.