Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

In 2015, the Productivity Commission made recommendations about penalty rates in the hospitality and retail sectors. They were in one of the reports that was considered by the Fair Work Commission. The Fair Work Commission noted, with approval, this passage from the Productivity Commission:

There is no case for common penalty rates across all industries. The Commission is not recommending a reduction in the Sunday penalty rates beyond—

the hospitality and retail sectors—

… Regulated penalty rates as currently constructed for essential services and many other industries are justifiable. The original justifications have not altered materially: they align with working arrangements that often involve rotating shifts across the whole week, are not likely to reduce service availability meaningfully, are commensurate with the skills of the employees, and are unlikely to lead to job losses.

That was the Productivity Commission. The member for Gorton disapproved of their recommendations in the first place, and he gave the Liberal Party some advice. This is what he said in February last year:

Labor believes that the commission is the appropriate body to consider these matters and it should be left alone by the Liberals to do just that, conduct its business as the independent umpire.

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