Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

Sure. It is unfortunate that that side of the chamber feels so upset and so disappointed every time we talk about the fact that our workplace reforms are delivering higher wages, more secure jobs and safer workplaces and are closing the gender pay gap, all while keeping industrial action down. I don't know why you're so sad about that, but every time we talk about it you arc up, you cry and you complain. It's very, very puzzling.

Because of our agenda, wages growth is back, the gender pay gap is at its lowest level ever, there are more people in jobs and industrial action is low. In fact, in the last quarter of the previous government, industrial action was far higher than it is now, and that is because Labor has built a cooperative workplace relations system to replace the conflict driven model that we inherited. We've closed loopholes which is benefiting workers and also benefiting businesses, stopping them from being undercut by rogue competitors. (Time expired)