Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. How does the Albanese Labor government's budget build on the government's commitment to backing Australian workers? How does this compare to other approaches to supporting Australian workers?

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

I'd like to thank the member for Blair for not only that question but also his commitment to hard-working Australians in his electorate and right around the country. Now, this budget is all about supporting workers and levelling the playing field. Because of this Labor government, hard-working Australians will be receiving five tax cuts, meaning the average worker will benefit up to $2,800. From 1 July this year, every Australian taxpayer will receive a tax cut and will again on 1 July next year. The Albanese government is delivering a new $250 tax cut to the 13.3 million workers in this budget through introducing the new working Australians tax offset. We're also introducing a $1,000 instant deduction to provide tax relief for workers and make tax time easier.

These tax cuts build on our commitment to help working Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn. Of course, it's this Labor government that has backed the lowest paid workers at the Fair Work Commission each and every year, and this year Labor has again made a submission advocating to the commission for an economically sustainable real wage increase for workers on minimum award wages. Under our government, the minimum award wage has increased by more than $9,000, directly helping 2.7 million award reliant workers.

We've also introduced significant reforms to reinvigorate enterprise bargaining, and enterprise bargaining continues to be a source of wages growth for Australian workers. Workers covered by enterprise agreements are enjoying the strongest wages growth in the nation, rising by 9.6 per cent on average in the latest ABS data.

Now, these are all part of our plan to ease cost-of-living pressures and help Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn. But I am asked if there are any other approaches, and, of course, we do have a different approach from those opposite. When they had the chance to vote for tax cuts for working Australians, what did they do? They voted against working Australians. But they didn't stop there. They took that promise to an election to up the taxes on working Australians. Of course, they voted against every single measure we've taken to support working Australians. In fact, I just heard the Leader of the Opposition argue against our advocacy for a minimum wage increase. Well, they need to be honest. Do they support low-paid working Australians? Does he support the lowest paid workers in Australia, or will he just back vested interests?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on notice paper.