Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

They interject because they don't like to be reminded. But the Australian community actually understand and know very well that it was those opposite who kept Australian wages down. They voted against aged-care workers getting a pay increase. So now, when we're making wage theft a criminal act, they want to interject. They say they stand by businesses. Well, we stand by businesses who do the right thing by Australian workers. That's what we do. Each and every Labor government will always be there to protect Australian workers. But they won't. Those opposite don't actually support Australian workers.

We have also introduced in this legislation a new criminal offence of industrial manslaughter. This is so long overdue. I'm very proud to stand here, as a member of the Albanese Labor government, because these things could have happened in the 10 years that those opposite had the government benches, but they did nothing. They admitted that their wages policy was always to keep wages down. That's their policy. We also know about the devastation of asbestos and how devastating that has been to the Australian community, and we want to expand the functions of the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency to include silica. We also want to close the loophole by which large businesses claim small business exemptions during insolvency to avoid redundancy payments.

Australians deserve to not be exploited at work. Part of the Labor Party's platform—and certainly the Labor government's platform—has always been to improve pay and conditions. We also want to close the pay gap between males and females. That gap is closing and is the smallest gap we have seen in this country. Why? Because of a Labor government.

Regarding the questions in relation to rural and regional Australia, we've brought in measures to give greater access to urgent care clinics so you can see a doctor and be bulk-billed. You won't need a credit card to see your doctor. These are things that are going to help everyone, whether you live in rural and regional Australia or you live in our cities. Going back to the closing loophole reforms, the other important elements include minimum standards for digital platform gig workers, our road transport industry reforms—these are good for all Australians—and a better deal for casual workers who want to become permanent. I've spoken in here before about workers down on the north-west coast of Tasmania who've been working for the same company for 14 years on a casual rate and who can't get a permanent job and can't get a home loan from a bank because they don't have a permanent job. These are the things that this legislation does—and there is more to come, so you can take it away for Christmas. Australian workers are going to be better protected from today and from this year because of a Labor government.

I would like to take the last 30 seconds of this speech to thank the workers in this parliament for the work that they do to help democracy run smoothly in this place and the other chamber, and to wish them and their families a very happy and safe Christmas, and I wish everyone a better new year. I hope that people come back here ready to debate with a bit more dignity and a bit more respect and that we have peace in the world.