Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I want to contribute to this debate as well. I deeply respect Senator Sheldon and everything he has done in the industrial relations space, but the reality does not reflect Senator Sheldon's rhetoric with respect to real wage growth. I refer to an article written by Shane Wright, an outstanding economics journalist, in the Sydney Morning Heraldon 22 February 2023 entitled 'Australians hit by largest fall in real wages on record'. That is what it says—'Australians hit by largest fall in real wages on record'.

Someone who I suspect cares very deeply about this issue and whose words should be carefully reflected on is quoted in that article. The article quotes this person on the reality of real wage growth under a Labor Albanese government. Bear in mind that this was on 22 March 2023, some nine months after the federal election. So nine months after there was a change in government, this person with an intense interest in real wages said:

"This is the greatest drop in workers' real pay in recorded history …

Who was this person? Sally McManus, the ACTU Secretary. That's what she said nine months after a Labor government came in with promises of real wage growth. She said:

"This is the greatest drop in workers' real pay in recorded history …

How's that? How's that for not meeting a promise? She said:

"This is the greatest drop in workers' real pay in recorded history …

Callam Pickering is also quoted in the same article. He's not a politician. He is the Asia-Pacific economist with the job website Indeed. Mr Callam Pickering, who is not a politician—no rhetoric here, just facts—is quoted as saying:

"Adjusted for inflation, Australian wages have fallen by 4.2 per cent over the past year and by 6.8 per cent since their peak."

"More than a decade—

and that would be the decade under the coalition government—

of hard-won wage gains—our blood, sweat and tears—lost over the course of just one year.

And nine of those 12 months of that one year were under the Labor Albanese government, which promised real wage growth. Those opposite can come in with rhetoric, but the Australian workers understand what the real position is with respect to real wages. Again I'll quote Sally McManus, Secretary of the ACTU. She said in March 2023:

"This is the greatest drop in workers' real pay in recorded history …

That was the Secretary of the ACTU nine months after the Albanese Labor government was elected. I can't put it in any better words.