Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. I note that low wages were a deliberate design feature of the Liberal and National parties' economic plan for over a decade, and now Australian households are struggling with rising cost-of-living pressures. The Albanese Labor government was elected on a promise to get wages moving and get Australians into secure, well-paid jobs. How has the Albanese Labor government's agenda helped to support a strong and resilient labour market, keep Australians in jobs and create new opportunities for people to work and earn?

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

Order! If you can't listen in silence, please leave the chamber. Minister Watt.

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

Thank you, Senator O'Neill—one of the many champions of job creation on this side of the chamber. I note that there are now around 990,000 reasons why the opposition is unhappy over there. That's the number of extra jobs that have been created in Australia since the Albanese Labor government came to office. Nearly 990,000 new jobs created—the most in a single parliamentary term, in any government's history, in our country.

We know that there's still a lot more work to do. We know that many Australians are doing it tough, but one of the best ways that we can help Australians deal with cost-of-living pressures is by helping them into work. That's exactly what we're doing, with total employment in Australia now standing at a record high of 14.5 million jobs. Unlike those opposite, the Albanese Labor government has been focused on creating good jobs—jobs that give people enough hours to meet their needs and jobs with pay rises and better conditions.

Isn't it interesting—the notion of good jobs is something that the opposition all chime in about. They've been basically asleep all of question time, wishing they could just get back to their homes, but the minute we talk about good jobs for Australians that's what fires them up—because we know that's not what they need. The latest ABS data shows that Australians aren't moving into just any jobs—

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

Order! Senator McKenzie, on a point of order?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Relevance. I think the minister is actually confusing our boredom this question time—

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

Senator McKenzie, that is a debating point. Please resume your seat. Minister Watt.

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

It's good to see they are awake at last. It only took a bit over an hour. The latest ABS data shows that Australians aren't moving into just any jobs; they're moving overwhelmingly into full-time jobs. Sixty-three per cent of all jobs growth under the Albanese government's watch has been in full-time jobs—625,000 more full-time jobs have been created in Australia in mining, manufacturing, the services economy, nursing and teaching. All of those are good full-time jobs that have been created. In fact, the number of people in full-time jobs across Australia now stands at a record high of 10 million.

Despite challenging economic conditions, we've managed to keep unemployment low while continuing to bring down inflation. (Time expired)

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

Senator O'Neill, a first supplementary?

Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister, for that answer—

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

Senator O'Neill, resume your seat, please. Senator McKenzie, come to order or leave the chamber. Senator O'Neill, please continue.

Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister, for that answer. Given Mr Peter Dutton and the Liberals and Nationals voted against the government's initiatives to get more women into the workforce, how has the Albanese Labor government reduced barriers to work and delivered fairer wages for women, after 10 years of low wages, insecure work and unequal gender policy settings under the coalition?

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

Thank you, Senator O'Neill. I'm pleased to remind all Australians that things have changed for Australian women since the Albanese government came to office, because it's women that have led the jobs boom. Fifty-two per cent of all jobs growth in Australia has been in jobs for women, since the Albanese government was elected. That's an extra 510,000 women in jobs in Australia since we were elected. Again, women are not just getting into any jobs; they're more likely to be full-time jobs. Sixty per cent of all women who have taken up work since we came to government are in a full-time job.

None of this is a coincidence. Just as we know the opposition had a deliberate design feature of their economy to bring down wages, it is a deliberate design feature of the Albanese Labor government's economic policy to get more women into work and to get more Australians into work. It's the result of a government that prioritises economic equality for women and, as Senator Gallagher was talking about, we've also brought down the gender pay gap to the lowest level on record, 11.5 per cent. (Time expired)

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

Senator O'Neill, second supplementary?

Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the face of cost-of-living pressures, how is the Albanese government helping Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn while relieving cost-of-living pressures, and why are these reforms are so important?

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

Thank you, Senator O'Neill. It was good—I don't know if you caught it earlier in question time, but Senator Sharma was recognising that the Albanese government is helping Australians keep more of what they earn. I'm pleased that you're paying attention to what we're saying and that you're now picking up our mantra as well. Maybe you'll come on board and back that kind of thing as well, Senator Sharma, because, unlike Peter Dutton and the coalition, we see strong and sustainable wages growth as part of the solution to the cost-of-living challenge not part of the problem.

We've delivered wage increases while keeping unemployment at record lows, getting more people into jobs and getting inflation to moderate. We do know that people are under pressure and that there's still more to be done, but just imagine how much worse things would be for Australian families if the Liberals and Nationals had their way and those record employment figures and pay rises had never happened. Under those opposite, the unemployment rate averaged 5.6 per cent. We've got it down to 4.2 per cent. It took the coalition their entire wasted decade in office to lift the minimum wage by as much as we have in our first term. Under Labor, you'll earn more and keep more of what you earn.

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

 The time for answering has expired, and I remind you to refer to others in the other place by their correct title.

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

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