Dan Repacholi (Hunter, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering higher wages and more jobs for working Australians, and what are the biggest threats to this record delivery?

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

I'd like to thank the member for Hunter for his question and his ongoing support for workers right across the Hunter. This Labor government is absolutely committed to creating more safe, secure jobs and helping more Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn. And, in good news for Aussie workers today, the ABS jobs data highlights the resilience of Australia's labour market. Jobs are up, unemployment is down, with 40,000 more people in work over the month, and the unemployment rate has decreased to 4.4 per cent. In good news, the total number of Australians in jobs is now over 14.7 million. Not only is this government delivering more jobs; we're also backing hardworking Australians get the pay that they deserve. This Labor government has backed an increase to the minimum award wage every single year we've been in government. And, in case you all have missed it, from next week minimum award wage earners will be receiving a 4.75 per cent increase, representing a real wage increase for these workers.

Of course, next week working Australians will also get paid super when they get paid their wages. This is about ensuring workers do not miss out on their important superannuation entitlements. From next week, hardworking Australians will be getting a tax cut, with more to come with the legislation now passing the Senate. And from next week eligible working families will be able to access up to 26 weeks of paid parental leave, delivered by this Labor government. These changes are all part of Labor's commitment to ensuring Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn and, of course, retire with more as well.

I'm asked about the biggest risk to our record of delivering for workers. Well, it comes as no surprise—it's not even a surprise to those on the other side that the biggest risk to jobs and wages for everyday Aussies is the three right-wing parties on the other side. The Liberals, the Nationals and One Nation have consistently opposed cost-of-living relief for hardworking Australians. They've failed to back an increase to the minimum wage and they tried to block those tax cuts for hardworking Australians. While our government is working to deliver more jobs, One Nation and the Liberals have made it no secret that they want to make it easier for bosses to sack workers. It's only this Labor government that can be trusted to be on the side of Aussie workers.