Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I want to congratulate the outgoing national secretary of the Health Services Union, Lloyd Williams. Llyod joined the union's Victorian branch in 1989, becoming branch secretary in 1999 and serving as the national president and becoming national secretary in 2019. That is more than 30 years of dedication to the needs of Australia's health, aged-care and disability workforce. Over the period, the federal Labor government built the National Disability Insurance Scheme. That involved a complete overhaul of the way that this country supports people with disability so they can live their lives with dignity. Lloyd's work in representing the disability workforce has been a critical part of the success of the NDIS. He has said:

The Royal Commission heard from people with disability and support workers alike that an adequately trained, fairly remunerated workforce is best placed to deliver quality NDIS supports.

Lloyd led efforts to bring members to Canberra to support their ongoing campaign to improve those disability and aged-care sectors. On one of those member visits, Chris, Lobsang, Stephen, Tonya and Cathy told me that disability workers are being squeezed by gig platforms that are attempting to offer services but without the minimum standards and job security. NDIS workers are leaving the sector in droves because providers that bargain for better conditions can't compete with those that don't. The continued advocacy by Lloyd and by the Health Services Union—these national efforts in the care sector—led directly to the package of workplace relations legislation that was passed by this government, legislation which gave the Fair Work Commission the right to set standards for gig workers and to enable employees and employers who may face barriers to bargaining to reach multi-employer agreements.

Lloyd also leaves an incredible legacy for the aged-care sector. Lloyd's advocacy during his tenure has meant that the HSU has successfully prosecuted the aged-care value case in the Fair Work Commission. It took more than two years from when the case was lodged to when the final part of the payments reached workers' pay packets, but about 400,000 aged-care workers have since benefited from increases to their award wages. That means that workers have fairer pay, safer conditions and the respect they deserve for the important work that they can do—and that they do do.

Those are just a few examples of Lloyd's legacy. The Health Services Union national president, Gerard Hayes, said it best when he said:

Lloyd Williams has made an indelible impact on our union, materially improving the lives of many hundreds of thousands of workers, especially in the disability sector … He has been decisive in confronting governance challenges, leaving us in a much stronger position to keep delivering for a membership that really needs that support.

The national senior assistant secretary, Kate Marshall, said:

Lloyd's sense of right and wrong has never wavered. It's been a privilege and honour to work together on agenda setting campaigns such as the Union's push for paid placements for allied health workers …

Now, it hasn't all been smooth sailing. Lloyd and the national office of the Health Services Union have supported the Victorian branch being placed into administration. The Federal Court heard instances of dysfunctional governance, very serious poor behaviour of certain individuals and improper financial decisions. On 29 January this year, it was reported in the Australian that there was an attempt by the administrator to renew the union's affiliation with the Victorian Labor Party. Lloyd successfully made the argument that the affiliation was not in the interests of the membership at this time. He said:

Given the branch's ongoing financial distress and administration arrangements, it is essential that all available funds be directed toward the protection of members and the restoration of financial stability.

That was not because Lloyd does not support the Labor Party—he does, and many of his members have—but because the central importance of the needs of the members to have a financially sustainable union that can represent them and improve their working rights and conditions is always on the top of his list. That speaks to me of the integrity and the style of leadership that Lloyd has brought to the HSU. I wish Lloyd a fantastic retirement full of time with the family and friends. You've earnt it.