House debates Questions without Notice
Workplace Relations
Sussan Ley Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women
2:34 pm
My question is to the Minister for Small Business. As a result of the Prime Minister's push to ram through new laws to pay back trade unions for millions in donations, the National Retail Association has warned that retailers—
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
It's quite specific in standing orders about implying motives such as what the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has just done there.
Milton Dick Speaker
I'm going to give the call to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and ask her to rephrase that part of the question.
Sussan Ley Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women
My question is to the Minister for Small Business. As a result of the Prime Minister's push to ram through extreme industrial relations laws, the National Retail Association has warned that retailers will be forced to pass on increased costs to Australians when they go shopping this Christmas, making a bad cost-of-living situation worse. Can the Minister for Small Business name one small business who has told her they support these radical new laws?
Julie Collins Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Small Business
2:36 pm
I thank the member for her question. As I said in this place just a week or so ago, we are meeting with small businesses all the time and discuss a range of matters right across the board. We continue to have discussions as we work through this important piece of legislation, which is actually about getting wages moving. As she would be aware, there are many low-income workers, particularly in feminised industry, who deserve a pay rise and need a pay rise.