Jana Stewart (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

STEWART () (): I want to start off by congratulating the mighty Transport Workers Union on yet another victory in the courts. Yesterday, the New South Wales District Court found Qantas guilty for illegally sacking health and safety representative Theo for raising health concerns at the start of the pandemic. This is what happens when our workplace health and safety is up to scratch, and it's about time the fair work legislation is amended and brought to the same standard.

I want to talk today about the experience of many ride-share drivers as they suffer under the burden of loopholes that big multinational gig platforms exploit. Under the ride-share share app DiDi, like many other gig platforms, a driver picks up their passenger from point A and takes them to point B. But one loophole in DiDi's policy means that, when the app fails to take money from the passenger's account, DiDi doesn't pay the driver. Put simply, these workers are not getting paid for work that they have done. DiDi and other gig platforms engage these drivers as independent contractors and not as employees. These drivers are driving for DiDi, the trips are requested through DiDi's platform, and DiDi takes a fee out of every fare from drivers. So why aren't DiDi drivers paid for the services they have provided? Every Australian has the right to be paid for the work that they do. Shame on DiDi for this policy and for exploiting loopholes to withhold fares from drivers just trying to make an honest living.

Unlike those on the other side, the Albanese Labor government stands on the side of workers. Those opposite are the same coalition who, during their time in government, deliberately drove down wages and turned a blind eye to rampant wage theft. That's not the approach of this government. We want to deliver a better deal for workers around Australia, and that is exactly what we will do with the legislation that is currently before this parliament. I urge all members in this place to end the exploitative practices of big gig—