Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before asking that this motion be taken as formal, I wish to inform the chamber that Senator Ciccone will also sponsor the motion. At the request of Senators Farrell, Sheldon, O'Neill and Ciccone, I move:

That the following matter be referred to the Economics References Committee for inquiry and report by the last sitting day in June 2020:

The causes, extent and effects of unlawful non-payment or underpayment of employees' remuneration by employers and measures that can be taken to address the issue, with particular reference to:

(a) the forms of and reasons for wage theft and whether it is regarded by some businesses as 'a cost of doing business';

(b) the cost of wage and superannuation theft to the national economy;

(c) the best means of identifying and uncovering wage and superannuation theft, including ensuring that those exposing wage/superannuation theft are adequately protected from adverse treatment;

(d) the taxation treatment of people whose stolen wages are later repaid to them;

(e) whether extension of liability and supply chain measures should be introduced to drive improved compliance with wage and superannuation-related laws;

(f) the most effective means of recovering unpaid entitlements and deterring wage and superannuation theft, including changes to the existing legal framework that would assist with recovery and deterrence;

(g) whether Federal Government procurement practices can be modified to ensure that public contracts are only awarded to those businesses that do not engage in wage and superannuation theft; and

(h) any related matters.

Question agreed to.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government has zero tolerance for any exploitation of workers. Having yet another talkfest on this matter is entirely unnecessary. Now is the time for action. We know the issues, we have seen the evidence and it is this government that is actually doing something about it. We have given the regulators more funding and more powers. We have increased the penalties for non-compliance. We have laws before the Senate to prevent the improper use of worker benefits and to recover unpaid superannuation. We are drafting tough new laws to criminalise wage theft and we are consulting on even more penalties, powers and tools for the courts to crack down on employers who don't give their employees what they are owed. Action is what's needed and action is precisely what is happening.