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

This government is getting wages moving.

Honourable members interjecting—

And getting wages moving is critical to this government's mandate. The ABS data released today shows that annual nominal wages have grown above three per cent under this Labor government for the last four years, and this data also shows that real wages have grown in the June quarter.

I know this is the bit they don't want me to get to because I am asked what could put this progress at risk. Of course we all know what will put this progress at risk. It would be the Liberals, the Nationals and One Nation, if they were to ever form government. Not only did those opposite, when they were in government, have low wages as a key design feature of their economic policy but they failed to back pay rises for our low-paid workers.

Opposition members interjecting—

As I reported yesterday, the Leader of the Opposition described our laws that have led to pay rises as being disastrous. That is his attitude to wage increases. Of course he is in good company with One Nation, who have consistently voted with the Liberals and the Nationals to stop laws that will actually deliver pay increases to workers in this country. It is very clear that if the Liberals, the Nationals and One Nation were to ever form government workers, wages would be on the chopping block. (Time expired)

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