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

Thanks, Senator Ciccone. Paying workers who do the same work not only is fair but also delivers safer, more productive workplaces for everyone, and that includes ensuring that labour hire workers get paid the same as the direct employees they work alongside.

In my home state of Queensland, meatworkers are now seeing an extra 25 per cent in their pay packets because of Labor's same job, same pay laws. One labour hire worker, Lance, was doing the job as his workmate—doing the same roster and wearing the same uniform as him—but was earning $500 a week less than him just because he was labour hire. Because of Labor's changes, they will now be paid the same.

But all of this is at risk from Mr Dutton and the coalition and their reckless policies. When Senator Hume—here she goes again!—was asked if the coalition would scrap same job, same pay on Insiders in September, she said, 'We will certainly have to consider it,' and we know, when the coalition considers workplace laws, it is never to help workers earn more. (Time expired)