Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Sheldon. While the Liberals and Nationals may say that they always stand with the employers of Australia, the Labor Party supports cooperative workplaces where both employers and workers win. Right now, due to our workplace changes—opposed by Mr Dutton—wages are up, jobs are up, inflation is down and industrial action is down.

Mr Dutton's reckless opposition to our workplace changes only hurts Australians who are doing it tough. At every turn an arrogant Mr Dutton wants to put his hand in your pocket and rip out thousands of dollars. He wants to recklessly cut your pay. He wants to take away your tax cuts. He wants you to pay more for essential things like medicine, power and child care. Mr Dutton is the grinch who wants to steal Christmas from every Australian worker. If Mr Dutton had been in power over the past two years, the average Australian household would be $7,600 worse off. Mr Dutton just doesn't add up for working people. When Australians are under pressure, Peter Dutton will make things worse. (Time expired)