Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) | Hansard source

I rise to recognise a significant victory for young workers and to acknowledge the advocacy of the SDA union through its 'Adult Age = Adult Wage' campaign. I was proud to meet with many SDA members and young retail workers at Parliament House this week, as many senators in this place have, to celebrate this wonderful achievement. Speaking with them was a reminder of just how important this reform is and will be for many thousands of young Australians right across the country. For years, the SDA union and its members have campaigned for a simple expectation: that, if you are doing an adult job, you should be paid the same wage. If you do the same job as your colleagues, you deserve that same pay. No worker should earn less simply because of their age.

In March, the Fair Work Commission delivered a historic decision to abolish junior pay rates for those that are 18, 19 or 20 years of age in the retail, fast food and pharmacy awards, with changes starting from the end of this year—something that those opposite, the Liberal, National and One Nation senators, all voted against, despite what they say in this place. This will put more money in the pockets of young Australians, and I don't know why those opposites hate young Australians—those who are 18, 19 or 20 years of age. Why do you want to treat them like children? They are adults. They vote for us, and they have a right to be paid and respected like adults. Young workers make an enormous contribution to our economy and our communities right across the country, and they deserve fair compensation. These outcomes will be backed, and are backed, proudly by the Albanese government because we are on the side of workers, unlike those opposite, who are complete hypocrites when it comes to who is on the side of the working people.