Chris Ketter (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, my question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Abetz. It has now been one week since the exposure of widespread underpayment of foreign workers at 7-Eleven stores in Australia. What action has the minister taken to address serious allegations of systemic underpayment of foreign workers on temporary visas?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As the honourable senator rightly indicates, this is a matter that regrettably seems to have been around for some time. What that tells us is that all this has occurred under Labor's Fair Work Act, under Labor's administration, nothing of which has been changed by this government. However, the Fair Work Ombudsman has been on the game here. The Fair Work Ombudsman has been pursing these matters. Indeed the Australian Labor Party are only asking questions about this matter now because of media exposure—something which the Fair Work Ombudsman has been on to for some time. One thing that we as a government have done—and it was part and parcel of our desire to modernise and bring up to date the workplace relations system—was the development of an app called PACT, Pay and Conditions Tool, that allows both workers and employers to very conveniently access from their mobile phone exactly what their entitlements are under a particular award.

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I raise a point of order on the direct question. I have been listening very carefully to the minister's answer and I want to know what action he has taken on the serious allegations of systemic underpayment of foreign workers. I am just not sure where the answer is going on that.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Moore. The minister was asked about what action he has taken. I think the minister is on track with the question.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before I was aware of this situation, we were taking proactive steps to try to minimise these sorts of activities. The Labor Party set up, under their regime, the office of the Fair Work Ombudsman to police these matters. (Time expired)

Chris Ketter (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. What action has the minister taken to address serious allegations that 7-Eleven employment records and rosters have been falsified to cover up systemic underpayment of workers? Will the government now extend full cooperation to the Senate inquiry into Australia's temporary work visa programs, which it initially opposed?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Any falsification of records is to be condemned. Any underpayment of wages is to be condemned. In Australia we have a proud history of ensuring that a fair day's pay is provided—

Sue Lines (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You have no history of it! None!

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Really, Senator Lines! Grow up! We have a great history in this country of ensuring that a fair day's work is remunerated with fair pay. When—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock.

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I raise a point of order on direct relevance to the question. There are only 20 seconds remaining. The question was about direct action taken to respond to the false records and also support for the Senate inquiry into Australia's temporary work visas.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You are correct, Senator Moore. The question was: what action has been taken about falsified records? I draw the minister's attention to the question.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was talking about the evil of falsifying records. I would have thought that was directly relevant. Under the regime that Labor set in place we have an independent statutory body called the Fair Work Ombudsman. We have faith in the Fair Work— (Time expired)

Chris Ketter (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Will the government provide an amnesty to holders of student visas who have been exploited by 7-Eleven stores using the business model exposed in the Four Corners program and who want to give evidence to authorities?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What I would say to Senator Ketter, and on his line of questioning generally, is that Labor have to decide whether or not they have confidence in their own Fair Work Ombudsman—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock.

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. Again, it is on direct relevance to the specific question, which was about amnesty to holders of student visas. I think it would be useful to draw the attention of the minister to that question.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Moore. I will remind the minister of the question. He has 45 seconds in which to answer.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Fair Work Ombudsman is an independent statutory authority that is charged with policing these matters. I think it is important to place that on the record. Secondly, the department is working with those victims and with the immigration department to seek to ensure that the victims of this scam are properly looked after. I cannot respond to Senator Ketter's specific suggestion, but I will take it on notice to see if there is anything else that I can provide to the honourable senator.