House debates Questions without Notice
Commonwealth Cleaning Services Guidelines
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
2:09 pm
I acknowledge the hardworking cleaners who are visiting parliament today to mark International Cleaners Day. Cleaners around Australia, including those who work in this building, will lose thousands of dollars because the Prime Minister is scrapping the Commonwealth Cleaning Services Guidelines. Prime Minister, why is it fair to cut the conditions of some of Australia's lowest-paid cleaners when, in fact, the government in its budget is giving millionaires $50,000 to have a baby?
Opposition members: Hear, hear!
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
2:11 pm
I do acknowledge the work that the cleaners of our country do and I particularly acknowledge the work that the cleaners around this building do—
Jim Chalmers Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition
Acknowledgement won't feed them!
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
including Lucia, Anna, Maria and the other hardworking cleaners that do such an extraordinary job in cleaning our own offices.
Mr Snowdon interjecting—
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
I want to make it absolutely crystal clear that no cleaner's pay is reduced. Every cleaner continues to be paid under the relevant industrial instrument and no cleaner in this country can be employed at other than the award or above. No-one can be employed at other than the award or above and the Leader of the Opposition should not go around this country scaring people. But that is the tragic pass to which members opposite have come: all they can do is scare. They have no solutions, just complaints, and the people of Australia are entitled to better from the Leader of the Opposition.