Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

I'd like to thank the member for Adelaide for that important question. Like everyone on this side of the House, we are committed to advocating for working Australians. I'm very, very pleased to update the House that, on Saturday, our bill to protect overtime and penalty rates for some of our lowest-paid workers came into effect. Because of the Albanese government, for the first time, retail award workers working yesterday and relying on Sunday penalty rates were reassured that their pay packets are now protected. This was a clear commitment that we took to the election, and we have now delivered for the 2.6 million award workers who rely on penalty and overtime rates.

Last Friday, I had the absolute privilege of meeting several essential workers who rely on penalty rates. One retail worker, Rukman, who works Saturdays and Sundays to support his children, told me it was a huge relief that we are now protecting a critical part of his take-home pay. Liz, a supermarket worker who works nights, said she felt relieved by the news that our legislation had passed the parliament and was coming into effect.

Protecting penalty and overtime rates was a priority for the government because there were current applications before the Fair Work Commission that would have stripped penalty and overtime rates from workers, meaning their pay would have gone backwards. If, for example, the retail award application had been successful, it is estimated that some retail workers could have been $10,000 worse off. This threat to pay packets is why our government took clear and decisive action. Our government would not stand by and watch workers' pay go backwards.

Central to this government's agenda is ensuring that Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn. Since we've been elected, Aussie workers, on average, are earning an additional $9,000 per year extra. Our government has made a submission for the minimum award wage increases at the Fair Work Commission every single year since we've been in government. We've introduced important measures to stop labour hire workers being unfairly underpaid for doing the same job as their counterparts. The Albanese labour government has backed and funded pay rises for early educators and for aged-care workers, finally valuing the critical work that they do. On top of getting wages moving, we are providing a tax cut for every single Australian taxpayer. This Labor government is backing Australian workers, protecting their pay packets and helping people earn more and keep more of what they earn.

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