Cassandra Fernando (Holt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today the Fair Work Commission has delivered a long-overdue decision and abolished junior pay rates for Australians over 18. This landmark case, led by the SDA, confirms what working people have always known: if you are old enough to work, you are old enough to be paid properly. Eighteen-, 19- and 20-year-olds pay the same for rent, groceries and petrol, so why have they been paid less? Half a million young workers will benefit. These wage rises will be phased in over four years, with an 18-year-old seeing up to a 42 per cent increase, around $284 more a week in today's terms. I want to thank the SDA for their Adult Age = Adult Wage campaign but, most importantly, I want to acknowledge Michael Donovan. For 30 years, Michael has stood with some of the lowest paid workers in this country. Quietly, persistently and effectively, he has helped deliver real change, and this decision is a testament to that work. When I started at Woolworths at 15, I joined the SDA on the first day. Retail and fast food workers in Australia enjoy some of the strongest rights in the world because of leaders like Michael, and that is why every worker should join their union.

I recently had the privilege of visiting Bestway Supermarket in Dandenong and meeting its owners, Mohammad Reza Khademi, Ahmad Hussain Zada and Mohammad Sarvar Khademi. They came to Australia in the early 2000s from Afghanistan. Starting in 2003 as Maiwand Supermarket, they worked tirelessly to grow their business, relaunching as Bestway in 2014 and building it into a thriving enterprise. Today, Bestway employs more than 60 people in Dandenong and provides opportunities for refugees, offering training, work experience and pathways into future employment. Stories like Bestway's are at the heart of our community in Melbourne's south-east. They reflect the strength of multicultural Australia, where new migrants create jobs, support one another in their journey as Australians and enrich our nation. Just as generations of Italian and Greek migrants once shaped precincts like Lygon Street and Eaton Mall, we are now seeing new communities shape areas such as Thomas Street in Dandenong and High Street in Cranbourne. Thank you for the work you do. (Time expired)

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