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

Yesterday, the Fair Work Commission handed down a long-overdue decision: they abolished junior rates for Australians over 18. This is a massive win for young workers in retail, fast food and pharmacy and a major step towards a fairer workplace system in this country.

Eighteen-year-olds are adults. They can vote. They can drive. And they face the exact same cost-of-living pressures as every other adult. They do not get a discount on their rent, they do not get cheaper groceries and they do not pay less for petrol simply because they are 18, 19 or 20. This decision is going to make a real difference to around half a million young workers across Australia.

I want to thank the SDA and Gerard Dwyer for their relentless 'Adult Age = Adult Wage' campaign. I also want to particularly acknowledge Michael Donovan. For 30 years as SDA's Victorian state secretary, Michael has stood up for some of the lowest paid workers in this country. Persistently and effectively, he has fought to deliver real change, and yesterday's historic decision is a testament to that work. From now on, adult age means adult wage.