Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace relations, Senator Watt. Why is the Albanese government entertaining the proposal of the Australian Council of Trade Unions to reintroduce industry-wide bargaining? Does the minister realise that industry-wide bargaining will lead to more strikes and significantly disrupt a number of sectors of our economy?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Isn't it disappointing that the only group in Australian politics who hasn't got the memo that what the Australian people want is more cooperation is the Liberal Party. Even the National Party seemed to briefly get the memo when they had their leader turn up to the Jobs and Skills Summit. But, of course, the Leader of the Opposition didn't turn up. The Shadow Treasurer wanted to be invited and then didn't show up. The Deputy Leader—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Minister Watt, please resume your seat. Please continue, Minister Watt.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I said, President, it's very disappointing that the Liberal Party has not received the memo, because what the Australian people had been saying over and over again, both before and since the election, is what they want in industrial relations is more agreements and less conflict. But what do we continue to see offered up by the opposition, who are still fighting the last war? They want to progress the nine years that we saw of more conflict, fewer agreements, lower wages and lower productivity. What a quadrella that is! If you could go to the races and make a bet on a quadrella and you were a member of the opposition, you would want more conflict, less agreement, lower wages and lower productivity. That is what you bequeathed the Australian people and that is what you continue to want to offer the Australian people.

In terms of wage bargaining, the Albanese Labor government has made a very clear commitment that we will get wages moving in this country. The way we are going to do that is by reaching more agreements. Business and unions agree that we need a new approach. That's why so many of them actually turned up to the summit last week, unlike anyone opposite—up until about that row over there—to actually have a discussion.

Opposition sen ators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Watt, please resume your seat. Those on my left, particularly, and some senators—in particular, Senators Hughes and McGrath: the running commentary is absolutely disorderly, and I would ask you to desist. Please continue, Minister.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, President. We will legislate to ensure that workers and businesses have flexible options for reaching agreements. That is all about bringing the current legislation up to date with a new government that wants wages moving. Senator Cash referenced the ACTU. Of course, the ACTU are not the only people to welcome this approach. I heard Alexi Boyd from COSBOA on the radio this morning saying, 'What we are hearing from our members is some of them saying this is something they would like to look into.' It's as simple as that. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cash, first supplementary?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Will the minister guarantee that any changes the Albanese government makes to the Fair Work Act will not result in more strike action being taken?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This change, which has been agreed upon by businesses and unions at the summit, is about better pay for workers, particularly women. It's about more productivity in the economy, not less. It's about more agreements, rather than a continuation of the nine years of conflict that we saw from the last government, which did nothing—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Watt, please resume your seat. Senator McGrath, I did ask you during the last series of questions to not do the running commentary. I would ask you to stop doing the running commentary, please.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What will change as a result of these legislative changes from this government is that more businesses will have access to simple, flexible and fair agreements and more workers will get pay rises. That's why Alexi Boyd from COSBOA was on the radio this morning saying that she's hearing from some of her members that it's something that's worth looking into. Unfortunately, the party that presents itself as being the friend of small business is actually running against small business and not listening to small business.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, please resume your seat. Senator Birmingham.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order on question of direct relevance: Senator Cash's supplementary question went very specifically to the rates of strike action that could occur under government reforms, simply seeking a guarantee from Senator Watt that there would not be an increase in the incidence of strike action. He hasn't mentioned strike action once in his response. With 12 seconds remaining, I invite him to give that guarantee.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do believe the minister's being relevant, but I will listen over the next 12 seconds.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Unfortunately, there remain in this community and in this parliament some people who don't want workers to get pay rises and some people who don't want businesses to have productivity. That's why they keep using scare tactics about strikes.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister. Senator Cash, a second supplementary?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the minister agree with the Assistant Treasurer that striking is an effective part of the bargaining process? Why is the government promoting workplace conflict instead of employees and employers working together?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Cash. The minister responsible for more conflict in industrial relations than any we have seen in recent history, the minister whose office leaked about a police raid on a union office—that's how much she was into conflict—now wants to come in and lecture us about strikes and industrial conflict. I mean, really! Even for you, that is utterly shameless. Everyone knows—

Oppositio n senator s interjecting

Senator Cash, I welcome every question you ask about industrial relations. I noticed that there was one member of the opposition who did have the decency to admit that his government had failed. That was the man who is now apparently known as 'Soccer Dad Matt Canavan', who said on Twitter a couple of days ago:

When Australia became a nation in 1901, the average Australian had to work for 18 minutes to earn a loaf of bread.

By 2019, that loaf cost just four minutes of work.

Over the past 3 years, we have gone backwards.

Thank you, Senator Canavan, for telling people that it now takes 4 minutes and 21 seconds to earn your daily bread as a result of your government. (Time expired)