Barbara Pocock (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to take note of the government's response to the Select Committee on Work and Care interim and final reports. The 2022 inquiry that I chaired on work and care made 33 recommendations aimed at revolutionising our workplace laws so Australians, and particularly women, can better balance their work and care responsibilities. At the time, Labor supported the recommendations, and now, more than 12 months on, Labor's done all too little to address the plight of working people taking care of others while they're at work in Australia.

The Albanese government 'noted'—which in political speak is tantamount to rejecting—almost half the recommendations aimed at improving working conditions, the quality of jobs and gender equity in this country. In other words, they've said no to much of our evidence based recommendations. The government said no to delivering 52 weeks paid parental leave to hardworking Australian parents. That is the OECD average. Instead, families are forced to make life-altering financial sacrifices when they choose to have children in this country, and some are pushed to remain childless or to have fewer children than they would otherwise choose. The government seems to be under the illusion that parents can easily find and afford quality child care for their babies and head straight back to full-time work. The reality is that almost one in four live in childcare deserts and almost two in three parents in this country find the cost of child care a barrier to access. Yet Labor continue to kick the can down the road on fixing child care and have ignored the Greens' recommendations calling for free, universal, quality, place based childcare.

In addition, in their response the government have said no to giving the millions of casual workers in Australia access to paid sick and annual leave. If the pandemic taught us anything, it should be that getting sick is not optional but spreading disease is. Casual workers are no different, and in fact they're often the least able to afford a day off when they are under the weather. How can Labor call itself a party of the workers and also consign 2.6 million workers to turning up at the office or other workplace with the flu, an infection or an injury?

In their response, the government have said no to the Greens' call for a national four-day week trial. The national and global momentum for reducing working hours so that workers can put together their job and their care for others at full pay is taking off. Businesses are trialling shorter working weeks, and they've reported improved work-life balance for workers, increased productivity and retention benefits. The Albanese government won't even entertain the idea of trialling and evaluating this model of work. Just wait. The four-day workweek is inevitable. It will come and, when the Greens fight and win this for Australians—many of whom are already experiencing its benefits—Labor will be claiming it as their policy, just like they did on the right to disconnect, which we Greens worked so hard to win for Australian workers.

Workers who have caring responsibilities make a great contribution to this country and to the economy by providing unpaid and paid care to children, the elderly and people with disability. We need to protect the ability of people to look after their loved ones while also holding down a paid job, not making it impossible for them to do both. Employers will always want to maximise their profits, but this cannot be done at the expense of workers' conditions, their pay and their economic security. The economy should be sustainably shaped for working people, not around the narrow economic needs of workplaces, employers and business lobby groups.

The government's response to the Work and Care Select Committee report shows Australian voters that the Greens have a plan with specific recommendations that can transform our work and care regime, improving outcomes for women, for men and for children. So far, Labor has chosen not to act, and they've left too much essential work undone. There is so much more to do to make a difference for citizens.

I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.