Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association's Adult Age, Adult Wage campaign has been launched, led by Gerard Dwyer, their national secretary, and, in my home state of Tasmania, Joel Tynan. The SDA's Adult Age, Adult Wage campaign is focused on improving wages for young Australians. The SDA want to ensure people who, by law, are considered adults at 18 and are doing the work expected of an adult are paid the same as their 21-and-over counterparts. Another focus for the SDA is increasing the pay for younger Australians aged between 14 and 17. Workers between 14 and 16 years of age should earn 50 per cent of an adult wage, and 17-year-olds should earn 75 per cent of an adult wage. These are the current goals that the SDA is fighting for to support the growing workforce.

The SDA and the Australian Labor Party have always fought for, and will continue to fight for, fairness and equality. The good thing about those young people working in fast food and retail is that they have a great union that is always there working to support them. They're committed to their membership and to ensuring that they have the skills and the support they need. That is why, as part of the Albanese Labor government, it's so reassuring to know that at the heart of everything we do is our support for Australian workers.

I welcome the SDA to Canberra this week, and they represent over 230,000 members. In particular, I welcome those young people they have brought to talk to us, senators and members, in this place. Welcome!