Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Waters for her question and, indeed, I do acknowledge those who have rallied in Canberra and elsewhere around the country today. I acknowledge the many important messages that were conveyed in the remarks made by various people speaking at those different rallies and events. As Senator Payne has already reinforced to the chamber, the Prime Minister invited—and the invitation continues to stand—representatives of those who organised and conducted the rallies to come and meet with him and with any other senior members of the government, as they wish. Indeed, that is consistent with many such protest rallies or other events that have taken place over the years and the work and the offers that have been made on those occasions and accepted by event organisers and activists, or others, on those occasions. I would encourage the organisers of this event to reconsider their refusal to accept the Prime Minister's invitation and to have those meetings.

In relation to the recommendations and calls for action in the petition that Senator Waters has just tabled: there are a number of those on which work is underway. I thank all senators, including Senator Waters, who cooperated with me and the government in establishing the multiparty independent review into workplace practices. That was an important action to get underway and it is one of those actions called for in the petition. In relation to the Respect@work report: the government is acting on a number of those recommendations already. That includes committing $2.1 million in the 2020-21 budget to implement recommendations related to the establishment of the Respect@Work Council—