Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Merry Christmas, everyone! My question is to my good friend the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Senator Watt.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He's a good mate! In fact, everyone here is a good mate!

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

Senator Ciccone, just ask your question.

Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We know that tradies, warehouse workers, retail assistants, truckies and miners are essential to the Australian economy. For a very long time many of these workers in these fine industries have been on labour hire contracts and have been paid significantly less than their direct employees often despite doing the same work on the same rosters and even wearing the same uniforms. Minister, how is the Albanese Labor government helping Australian workers earn more and keep more of what they earn and how will the government's policies deliver a fair go for Australian workers?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you to my good friend Senator Ciccone. It's a great question on the issue that matters to all Australians, that being their wages. All year in parliament we've focused on the No. 1 issue facing Australians, that being the cost of living, and helping to lift wages is a crucial part of that. The Albanese Labor government is deliberately trying to lift wages and create more jobs to help Australians deal with cost-of-living pressures. Workers in factories and warehouses and workers on construction sites and the shop floor are doing it tough right now, which is why this government is committed to improving their wages after 10 years of the Liberals deliberately keeping wages low.

One of the changes we've made to help working people is closing the labour hire loophole to make sure labour hire workers get a fair day's pay for a fair day's work. That is something those opposite continually opposed, both when they were in government and now in opposition.

I'm pleased to say that Metcash labour hire workers are the latest Australian workers to get the pay rise they deserve. At a warehouse operated by Metcash in South Australia, labour hire workers were required to attend the same meetings as direct employees and undertake the same training as direct employees. They worked the same rosters as direct employees and did the same duties as direct employees. But, despite all of that, they were being paid up to $15,000 less per year than direct Metcash employees, and that all was allowed under the coalition's laws.

But, as of yesterday, because Labor closed the loophole—the one you voted against—that allowed those workers to be underpaid, those labour hire workers will now be earning the same as direct employees. One worker, Tyler, said, 'For six months I've been doing the same job as workers who were directly employed by Metcash, but I haven't been paid the same; this decision means that, for the first time, I'll be paid fairly for the work I do.' Under Labor, workers will earn more and keep more of what they earn; under the Liberals, they'll work longer for less. (Time expired)

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

Senator Ciccone, first supplementary?

Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I know our fine meatworkers, flight attendants and miners, many of whom will be working very hard in the lead-up to Christmas, should not be paid less just because they're employed as labour hire workers. I note that the Leader of the Opposition believes that paying Australian workers fairly would 'undoubtedly damage the Australian economy'. So how has the Albanese government's same job, same pay laws helped Australian workers get a fair day's pay for a fair day's work?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks, Senator Ciccone. Paying workers who do the same work not only is fair but also delivers safer, more productive workplaces for everyone, and that includes ensuring that labour hire workers get paid the same as the direct employees they work alongside.

In my home state of Queensland, meatworkers are now seeing an extra 25 per cent in their pay packets because of Labor's same job, same pay laws. One labour hire worker, Lance, was doing the job as his workmate—doing the same roster and wearing the same uniform as him—but was earning $500 a week less than him just because he was labour hire. Because of Labor's changes, they will now be paid the same.

But all of this is at risk from Mr Dutton and the coalition and their reckless policies. When Senator Hume—here she goes again!—was asked if the coalition would scrap same job, same pay on Insiders in September, she said, 'We will certainly have to consider it,' and we know, when the coalition considers workplace laws, it is never to help workers earn more. (Time expired)

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

Senator Ciccone, second supplementary?

Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Liberals and the Nationals have proudly said that those on the coalition side of the chamber will always stand with the employers of Australia. They've also promised to take a suite of targeted repeals of workers' pay and conditions to the next election. Minister, what is the government doing to put more money in the pockets of Australian workers and their families, and what are the key barriers to achieving this?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Ciccone. It is disturbing that, when Australians are dealing with cost-of-living pressures, Mr Dutton is so reckless when it comes to workplace laws—laws that have meant Australians are now earning more to deal with the very cost-of-living pressures that they're facing. The inconvenient truth for Mr Dutton is that he and the coalition have voted against every single Labor measure to lift wages and improve the conditions of workers. Not once, not twice but 48 times in this parliament they have voted against Labor's measures to increase wages and improve conditions.

In fact, when we were passing the labour hire laws, Senator Cash in a Sky News interview described them as 'the most radical shake-up of Australia's industrial relations system in decades' and said, 'Labor is making a bad situation worse,' and, 'These changes were an attack on the labour hire industry.' Rather than support workers struggling to pay their bills, the coalition 'will always stand on the side of employers in Australia, even when they're underpaying their workers'. (Time expired)

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

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