Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

I again invite the senator to read the submission. It makes it very clear that the government is committed to pay equity in Australia. It acknowledges the vital service that the social and community services sector delivers to many of our society’s most vulnerable Australians; it recognises that much of the work performed in the sector is undervalued; and it remains committed to working through the funding implications of any increase in wages awarded in partnership with the affected unions, employers in the sector and states and territories. That is a very sensible position for the government to take.

It is wrong for the senator to characterise the intent of the submission differently. I understand she has not read it, but I again say –