Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government's red-tape stunt will see cuts to the wages and conditions of some of the lowest paid workers in Australia as the government plans to axe the Commonwealth Cleaning Services Guidelines, which regulate minimum pay and conditions for our cleaners. The guidelines apply to cleaners working in government agencies and offices, including Parliament House, government departments and your own electorate offices. This includes Western Australian MP offices like those of the member for Swan, the member for Hasluck and the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I ask these members: do you know that the wages of your cleaners are about to be cut? Are you going to actually let this happen? Do you even know the names of your cleaners? Jan cleans the Bendigo office and she does an amazing job. She is a vital member of the team. She is also the lowest paid member of the team.

The Minister for Employment believes the award is good enough for these hardworking Australians. But the difference between the award and the Commonwealth Cleaning Services Guidelines is about $200 per week. I know that, for some of our backbenchers, $200 a week is not a lot of money, but when you are a cleaner earning as little as $400 per week, a $200 pay cut is half your salary. Hiding this attack on minimum conditions for cleaners amongst 800 other regulatory changes demonstrates how sneaky this government is. This is another example of how Work Choices— (Time expired)