Gabriel Ng (Menzies, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to acknowledge the secure jobs, better pay review, which demonstrates the success of the ambitious reforms the Albanese Labor government implemented in our first term. The report shows that the workplace changes that we legislated are delivering for Australians. In December 2022, we introduced the secure jobs, better pay act to ensure workplace rules are fair and that the benefits of a growing economy are shared with every Australian. These reforms were designed to lift wages, strengthen job security, improve enterprise bargaining and address the gender pay gap. The final independent review of the act has confirmed that these reforms are already delivering real outcomes.

Collective bargaining has increased significantly, with the number of employees covered by agreements rising from about 1.72 million in September 2022 to around 2.6 million by March 2025. This is an increase of approximately 880,000 workers. This includes workers across multiple employers, who, thanks to this government, are now covered by enterprise bargaining. Unions and employees can bargain for improved wages and conditions, particularly for those in traditionally feminised industries, like aged care and child care. Importantly, the act has made a substantial contribution to improving outcomes for women, with the gender pay gap now at its lowest level since records began.

Through our closing loopholes laws, which ensure labour hire workers are not paid less than permanent employees for the same work, we have improved wages for people on insecure contracts and also disincentivised dodgy employers from outsourcing to labour hire companies to save themselves money on wages and conditions. We have criminalised intentional wage theft. An employee who puts their hand in the till can be charged with a criminal offence. In the same way, a boss who knowingly takes money out of their worker's pay packet should be criminalised. We have introduced the right to disconnect so workers can properly clock off and enjoy a decent work-life balance.

Despite this evidence in the latest review, the coalition are still desperately trying to discredit our legislation because they want to axe the very laws that have seen workers get pay rises. We all remember Senator Michaelia Cash declaring that these laws were the most radical she had ever seen. If it's radical to have the highest number of employees on workplace agreements since enterprise bargaining began in 1991, if it's radical to have the strongest rate of annual wage growth in five years, if it's radical to have the gender pay gap hitting a historic low of 11.5 per cent in the latest ABS statistics and if it's radical to have the unemployment rate remaining low while workplace participation stays high then we will proudly accept the badge of being radical. This is what happens when governments deliver for workers.

Other independent data shows the success of our workplace reforms and wider agenda in guiding Australia through difficult times while increasing wages and keeping unemployment low. The latest data from the ABS shows that real wages have risen for seven consecutive quarters. This is the strongest annual wage growth in real terms in five years and the longest period of consistent growth above 0.7 per cent in a decade. Average annual wages are growing at 3.7 per cent, compared with just 2.2 per cent under our predecessors. We have also delivered four consecutive increases to the minimum wage, benefiting 2.2 million of Australia's lowest paid workers. In just three years, the national minimum wage has increased by $4.62 per hour. That's $175 a week or more than $9,000 a year. That's real money in the pockets of some of our lowest paid workers. The same ABS release shows that employment has continued to grow at record pace. Since May 2022, we have seen more than 1.1 million new jobs created. That represents an increase of 8.6 per cent in total employment, a faster rate of job growth than any other major advanced economy. These numbers confirm what Australians are seeing in their communities: more people in work and more families benefiting from secure income thanks to the reforms of the Albanese Labor government. (Time expired)

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