Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

For over 10 years, as you well know, Acting Deputy President Sterle, workers in regional Queensland asked the Liberal-National government for one simple thing. If they worked the same job, they wanted the same pay. They asked for this simple thing from the former government for over 10 years. For over 10 years, members of the Liberal-National government, particularly those from regional Queensland, would go to these communities and make a promise that they would finally do something to crack down on dodgy labour hire companies that were refusing to pay workers the same wages under the same conditions. For 10 years, they made these promises and refused to do anything. In this place, they voted against making changes to those laws that the Labor opposition brought forward. Then, when the Labor government came in, we gave the opposition an opportunity to vote for the closing loopholes legislation. They even refused to do that. It is shameful what these workers had to go through over 10 years of being ignored by the previous government.

But now, because of the laws brought forward by the Albanese Labor government to make same job, same pay law in this country, we have had the very first same job, same pay decision from the Fair Work Commission. This incredibly important decision means that the Batchfire Callide mine in Biloela, in Central Queensland, is the first place where you get the same pay when you have the same job. That's because of the laws brought forward by the Albanese Labor government.

This involves more than 300 labour hire workers at this coalmine in Queensland. They were reportedly being paid $10,000 to $20,000 less than direct employees. This is a story that we heard over many years. These workers attended the same meetings but were paid less. They operated the same machines but were paid less. They wore the same uniforms but were paid less. They followed the same instructions. They used the same rosters. They were on the same production crews. They shared the same equipment and facilities. They undertook the same training. But they were paid less. They were doing the same job, but they were being paid less for it.

Before we changed the law, companies were using labour hire loopholes to deliberately undercut agreements they had already made with their workers. Companies agreed on fair rates of pay with their workers, made an enterprise agreement and then undercut that agreement by bringing in a labour hire workforce that was being paid less. But not anymore—because of the laws that this government passed, if you do the same job, you get the same pay. The labour hire loophole is officially closed.

We have spoken to some of the workers who have been affected by this decision. One of the workers who's worked at this mine for eight years said that her partner also works at the mine. They both started out as labour hire. They have both been offered permanent shifts in the last couple of months. She said that it makes a $30,000 difference for her and her partner, and yesterday's decision is an incredible boost to that.

One other worker is Josh. He has worked at that mine for six years as a labour hire worker. He said: 'The pay rise will have a very strong impact, particularly since I've just started a new family. I now have a daughter who's just two months old and this pay rise will help go towards essential things like housing, grocery bills, nappies and baby clothes.' This is how you help people in regional Queensland with the cost of living, not by pushing up power prices with expensive nuclear reactors. You help families get food on the table by ensuring that our laws mean that, if you work the same job, you get the same pay.

Mr Dutton wants to fantasise about expensive and risky nuclear reactors which are decades away and won't deliver a viable new industry for workers and communities. They want to see these workers work at one of these risky nuclear reactors, which will push up energy prices and mean these families pay more. The opposition has nothing to offer these workers. They offered them nothing for 10 years, even after they were begged to do something about same job, same pay. Well, finally, the Albanese Labor government has delivered.