Carina Garland (Chisholm, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. How is the Albanese Labor government helping Australian workers earn more and keep more of what they earn, and are there any threats to this?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to thank the member for Chisholm for the question. The member for Chisholm is somebody who is committed, as are all on this side, to making sure that Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn. In fact, the members on this side started the week voting for people to earn more, on the legislation we dealt with on Monday. Those opposite voted no and were really angry about it. Today we had legislation for people to keep more of what they earn. Those on this side were proud to vote for it. Those opposite voted yes but were still really angry about it. Do you expect people to believe, when you're that angry about a reform, that you're not serious about winding it back? Do you expect when you move an amendment that says that should be wound back, which is what they all voted for today, that the public's not going to notice?

Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Liar!

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That should be withdrawn.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leader of the House, I'm going to deal with this issue. That term is getting more and more of a run. The practice of this House, since 1906, has been that that term is unparliamentary. Speaker Wallace on three occasions, Speaker Smith on 11 occasions and Speaker Bishop on 23 occasions all followed exactly the same practice that I have, so, every time it's mentioned, it will be withdrawn immediately. Here's another tip for today: make sure that term is not being used in this House. The member for Hume will come to the dispatch box and withdraw that comment.

Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the House will continue with his answer and be heard in silence.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We now have the change from what was predicted by those opposite, with their spokesperson Senator Cash, when they predicted that our reforms would close down Australia. What have we seen? When you no longer have low wages as a deliberate design feature of how you manage the economy, what happens? Wages, which under them were tracking, on average, at 2.1 per cent, are now at four per cent—two consecutive quarters of real wage growth. We're making sure that people earn more and keep more of what they earn. This government has delivered pay rises through two consecutive submissions to the annual wage review; minimum standards for the gig economy, now law; minimum standards for road transport, now law; job security for casuals, now law; the labour hire loophole closed, now law; wage theft as a crime, now law; banning pay secrecy clauses, now law; and sunsetting those zombie agreements I referred to yesterday, now law.

But, in response, those opposite have made a promise—promised from the very person who might not be able to get a question but occasionally stands up to withdraw his interjections, the shadow Treasurer. No-one asked him to use this word, but on the weekend he said their package of repeals would be 'targeted'. We all know exactly what the word 'targeted' meant—targeted against your wages, targeted against your job security, targeted against your safety at work, targeted against measures to close the gender pay gap. The Leader of the Opposition confirmed on the weekend that they're targeting your time off. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition confirmed right from the start that they'll be targeting your tax cuts. And the shadow Treasurer has confirmed that they're targeting your pay and security—a party over there that wants people to work longer, for less.