Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

We know what those opposite stood for and that a deliberate design feature of their economic policy was to keep wages down. We know they had that chapter in their submission. We know that, on this side, since coming to government, we have actively sought to ensure that wages get moving again. Real wages grew 1.3 per cent through the year to the June quarter, the strongest annual growth in five years.

I know Senator Ruston won't like this. They've grown for seven consecutive quarters under this government—and what were they under you, Senator Ruston, when you were at the decision-making table? They were going backwards by 3.4 per cent.