Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Minister Watt. Since taking office the Albanese Labor government has been focused on getting wages moving and easing cost-of-living pressures after a decade-long race to the bottom on wages under the Liberals and Nationals. How is the Albanese Labor government ensuring Australian workers earn more and keep more of what they earn?

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

Thank you, Senator Sheldon, who, along with many senators on this side of the chamber, including our new senator, Senator Darmanin, has spent his working life standing up for working people in this country. Under Labor people are earning more and keeping more of what they earn. We are delivering for every Australian because we are a government for all Australians. Today it is seven days until 1 July. And why does that matter? Because it's seven days until every Australian taxpayer gets a tax cut, it's seven days until our $300 energy bill relief begins, and it's seven days until 2.6 million low-paid workers get their third consecutive pay rise backed by this government.

We are providing cost-of-living support while putting downward pressure on inflation. We're also strengthening the food and grocery code for a fair go for families and farmers. Unlike the opposition, we believe that strong wages growth is a key part of providing cost-of-living relief. We have closed loopholes that undercut wages and working conditions for working Australians. We've modernised our bargaining system to get wages moving again, especially for those in feminised industries. We've backed in pay rises for workers on the minimum wage and awards at the Fair Work Commission three times since coming to government. Because of the Albanese government's wages, wage growth is above the rate of inflation at 3.6 per cent over the year, which is expected to continue. The gender pay gap is also at a record low of 12 per cent. Almost 880,000 jobs have been created under this government, around 250,000 of which were full-time jobs for women. Of course, that contrasts with the previous coalition government, which kept wages low as a deliberate design feature of their economic architecture. The coalition never once backed in pay rises for minimum wage and award earners, and now, in opposition, the coalition has voted against almost every one of our workplace relations measures to ease cost-of-living pressures for Australians.

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

Senator Sheldon, a first supplementary?

Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you for that answer, Minister. Given the Liberals and Nationals have suggested that asking for a real pay rise for low-paid workers is just, as they say, 'window-dressing', how is the Albanese government supporting all Australians, including our lowest paid workers, address cost-of-living pressures?

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

This government's workplace relations agenda is helping Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn with secure jobs, better pay and safer workplaces. We're also addressing the pressures that people are facing at the check-out by strengthening the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct and establishing an ACCC review into supermarket behaviour. For too long we've seen big supermarkets take advantage of farmers right across the country, not provide them with a fair price, but then actually charge consumers much more than they're actually paying farmers. We're fixing this by making the code of conduct mandatory and by introducing fines of up to $10 million for each breach. The coalition, who claim to be the friends of farmers, had 10 years to fix this, but they did nothing. And when our lowest paid workers get a pay rise, Barnaby Joyce dismisses it as mere 'window-dressing'. Whether it's farmers or families, Peter Dutton and the coalition want Australians to work longer for less. Under Labor, Australians are earning more and keeping more of what they earn.

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

Minister Watt, I do remind you: when referring to others in the other place, use their correct titles. Senator Sheldon, a second supplementary?

Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As you point out, $110 extra in the minimum wage increase is mere window-dressing for some but is food on the table for many. I know that the Liberals and Nationals were committed to a targeted package of repeals to the government's workplace relations changes and an expensive energy policy that won't deliver much-needed cost-of-living relief for two decades. How will the Albanese government reforms help Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn, while relieving cost-of-living pressures, and why are these reforms so important? (Time expired)

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

The Albanese government's No. 1 focus is easing the cost-of-living pressures for Australians. After a decade of deliberate wage stagnation and suppression under the coalition, our changes have helped deliver faster-than-expected annual real wage growth to workers while also targeting inflation. We're also taking $300 off household power bills and investing in renewables, which are the cheapest form of energy, and getting more renewables in our power system will bring prices down.

In contrast, Mr Dutton wants Australians to pay more for his risky nuclear reactors and pay more for their power. Even though we saw Senator Davey make a valiant attempt to stand up for communities opposed to reactors, they will be imposed on them anyway. These reactors cost a lot more than renewables. They take longer to build, and, at the end of it, family power bills will be even higher. We know that the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Senator Birmingham, knows that. Over the weekend he was quoted as saying that renewables have become more cost competitive. Good on you, Senator Birmingham. You're on the right path. (Time expired)