Karen Grogan (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Senator Watt. We know that people on low and modest wages have the least capacity to deal with the rising cost of living. With that in mind, can you step us through how wage increases are assisting Australians with cost-of-living challenges and, also, how the Albanese government is standing up for workers and getting their wages moving again? As a member of the Senate Select Committee on the Cost of Living, I have seen a lot of people come through that committee commending a lot of the excellent things that the Albanese government have done in the last 12 months and raising some excellent suggestions for other things that we might do. So I wonder if you could step us through that?

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

Thank you, Senator Grogan, for the terrific work you and your colleagues are doing on the cost-of-living committee. As Senator Wong said earlier today, it was very pleasing to see the new jobs figures yesterday that show that more than 465,000 jobs have been created since the Albanese government was elected just over 12 months ago, and a whopping 385,000, or 83 per cent of them, have been full-time jobs. What's also pleasing is that more jobs are getting decent pay increases, with 60 per cent of all jobs recording a higher wage than the year before. It's the fastest annual wage growth we have seen in Australia for over a decade, since September 2012. In fact, our softest quarter for wages growth is equal to the former coalition government's strongest quarter. Our worst was their best. The system had been sitting neglected with entrenched inequality for 10 years under the coalition government, a government who openly admitted that low wage growth was a deliberate design feature of their economic architecture.

There is nothing complicated about it. Our government will always stand up for workers and protect their pay, but unfortunately not everyone agrees with this approach. Who can forget Senator Cash as the shadow industrial relations minister warning us that the 'secure jobs, better pay' legislation would take us back to the Dark Ages? I had another look at the Dark Ages and what they were all about. I am not surprised that those opposite have an affinity for the Dark Ages.

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

Order across the chamber! Senator Wong and Senator Cash, order! It's noisy and it's disorderly.

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

As I said, I am not surprised those opposite have an affinity for the Dark Ages, because they do remind me of a period not too long ago when those opposite were in government. The Dark Ages were defined by a collapse in trade. Sound familiar? There was also a decline in culture and science. We know that definitely happened under their government. The Dark Ages had people thinking the earth was flat. Hello, Senator Rennick! How are you going this afternoon?

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! I've got a senator on his feet. Senators, this is disrespectful. Senator Rennick is on his feet.

Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order: could I ask that Minister Watt withdraw that comment, as it's a personal reflection.

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

I think it's close to one, but I'll ask—

Minister Watt! And I would ask you to withdraw.

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

I withdraw.

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

Thank you.

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

And of course the Dark Ages also had a preference for autocratic rule, where a king held all the power. I think we remember a time like that recently as well! (Time expired)

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

Senator Grogan, a first supplementary?

Karen Grogan (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll refrain from making any further comment—other than that that was a spectacular answer, Minister Watt. Thank you very much. Under the previous Liberal and National government the bargaining system had become too rigid and legalistic, leading to a decrease in agreement making. Since passing the Secure Jobs Better Pay Act in December last year, how has the Albanese government delivered on its commitment to invigorate enterprise bargaining?

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

Thanks again, Senator Grogan. Workers covered by enterprise agreements benefit from better pay and conditions, and employers with enterprise bargaining benefit from better productivity and conditions that properly reflect the specific needs of their enterprise. Our government of course inherited an enterprise bargaining system that was on life support, and our Secure Jobs Better Pay reforms have brought employers and workers back to the bargaining table—many employers who have not even been at the bargaining table for many years, including some of the big banks.

We've also made enterprise bargaining accessible to those who've been locked out from its benefits—critical sectors like early childhood education and aged care. Again, the shadow industrial relations minister, Senator Cash, at the time said, 'There is nothing in the bill that is going to assist raising wages'—bah-bowwwh! Yet again, Senator Cash gets it wrong, as she so often does.

Well, Senator Cash and the rest of the coalition, I'm proud to say that Australian workers will now get a 5.7 per cent pay increase at the lowest level, with the Fair Work Commission acknowledging the importance of this legislation. (Time expired)

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

I'm not going to call Senator Grogan until there's quiet. Thank you. And Senator Watt, I would ask you to refrain from putting any other things in your answers apart from words. Senator Grogan, a second supplementary?

Karen Grogan (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We know that even when there are strong bargaining outcomes some employers still use labour hire to undercut the pay and conditions of their workers. What is the Albanese government doing to close the loopholes that some employers use to undercut employees' pay and entitlements?

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

Thank you, Senator Grogan—and thank you, President, for the reference to the standing orders on sound effects; I appreciate that advice. We understand the importance of getting wages moving, particularly in undervalued, traditionally feminised industries like early childhood education and care. Those opposite—including, it would appear, Senator Cash—made absurd claims that these reforms would 'close down Australia'. As I said, it looks pretty open to me here in Australia, despite all those warnings we were getting.

Properly valuing and recognising the profession is crucial to attracting and retaining a high-quality workforce. Our children and ageing Australians deserve to be educated and cared for by a properly valued workforce. The best way to do this is by making bargaining more accessible to these workers. The supported bargaining stream of the government's Secure Jobs Better Pay Act will allow for these undervalued sectors to use the Fair Work Commission's functions and be supported to negotiate enterprise agreements, including bringing the funder to the bargaining table at the appropriate time. Under the Albanese government, wages are moving again. (Time expired)

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.