Ross Lightfoot (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to Senator Abetz, the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Will the minister update the Senate on the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics wage data? What does the data say about the government’s new Work Choices policy? Further, is the minister aware of any alternative policies?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the effervescent Senator Lightfoot for his question and I note his ongoing interest and longstanding commitment to ensuring that Australians have a place in which to work so that they can have more job opportunities and enjoy higher wages.

I am pleased to report to the Senate that, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the take-home pay of Australian workers rose by 4.1 per cent in the past year—that is, at a rate above the annual inflation rate. In other words, wages are still increasing in real terms. More tellingly—and those on the other side might want to listen to this—in the June quarter, wages of Australian workers grew by an average of 1.1 per cent. That is, during the months of April, May and June, the wages of workers grew by 1.1 per cent. That figure is of more than usual interest to the people of Australia. Guess when Work Choices came into being? Work Choices came into being on 27 March.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

So the June quarter is the first full quarter of wage rises—

Jeannie Ferris (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. I am unable to hear a word of what is being said in this answer because of the noise coming from the other side. I feel sure that if an occupational health and safety measure were taken today it would fail on the basis of noise.

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have continually called the Senate to order today. There is too much noise on both sides of the chamber and I would ask you to come to order so that Senator Abetz can complete his answer.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I know that those on the other side do not want to hear that, in the first full quarter after Work Choices came into being, real wages increased and that the wage increase was 1.1 per cent. I dare say that Mr Beazley’s response to that will be as was his response to the Office of Workplace Services. When inconvenient—

Anne McEwen (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McEwen interjecting—

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McEwen!

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

facts are thrown on his lap, he will just call them a bunch of snivelling little liars. But I do not think that the people of Australia will accept that description of the Australian Bureau of Statistics, which has shown us that, under Work Choices, workers are getting real wage increases. So let us remember the mantra and let us have a ‘who said it’: ‘The policy ... of this bill’—that is, Work Choices—‘will lead to lower wages for Australians across the board’—

Anne McEwen (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McEwen interjecting—

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Corporate Governance and Responsibility) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong interjecting—

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong and Senator McEwen, come to order!

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

None other than Senator Gavin Marshall said that. How wrong he was. But, even better: ‘... these changes are going to have a catastrophic effect on the wages of Australian workers’—that was none other than Senator George Campbell, and how wrong he was. Remember all the doom and gloom: under Work Choices, workers would face mass sackings. Instead of employment going down, it has gone up—159,000 extra workers. We were told that wages would be driven down; in fact, they are being driven up. So can I suggest to those opposite that they should discard their silly policy of ripping up Work Choices, because if they seek to rip up Work Choices they will be ripping up the 159,000 extra jobs that have been created; they will be ripping up the real wage increases that workers of Australia are now enjoying across the board, over the last quarter. I say this to Mr Beazley and the Labor Party—a bit of gratuitous advice: if you keep on with this silly policy of ripping up Work Choices, Mr Beazley will rip up any chance that he ever had of becoming Prime Minister of this great nation.