Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for the Status of Women, Senator Wong. I refer to the heads of agreement signed in 2009 by the now Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, and the Australian Services Union, in which Labor committed to support the ASU’s test case on pay equity for community sector employees. Following Labor’s recent backflip on support for the ASU test case, isn’t Labor’s abandonment of low-paid women workers in the community sector yet another example of Labor making promises to win an election and then betraying the very people it promised?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for her question—the first one I have had as minister representing in this area. I say this as a starting point: it is quite clear from that question that the senator has not read the submission. I invite her to do so because I understand it is public. But I have to say that it is an ironic question to come from a member of the Liberal Party, who implemented Work Choices legislation, which had in its sights low-paid workers, particularly women. We know from the studies that were done, the anecdotal evidence and the evidence on the ground that amongst the people most vulnerable under Work Choices were women workers in this country.

The hypocrisy of that question really is quite extraordinary, from one of the great barrackers of Work Choices over there, sitting on the back bench. When was the last time, Senator, you argued for pay equity? When was the last time anyone on that side of the chamber argued for pay equity? Which was the government that put through amendments that ensured that provisions were in the legislation that enabled this case to be given?

Senator, you come in here asking these questions not out of any interest for the wages and conditions of women workers, not out of any interest for pay equity, because we know what your history is as a party, but because you want to make a political point. This is a government that remains committed to pay equity. We understand that it is not only just and fair but it is also about increasing women’s participation. We understand that Australian women currently earn 83c for every dollar earned by men—(Time expired)

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Community sector groups have stated that they believe that the Labor government is walking away from its election commitments to women. Does the government understand—

Government Senators:

Government senators interjecting—

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Comrade Cash!

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have been called way worse.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sterle and others on my right!

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Comrade Cash!

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I don’t have an apartment in Kingston, that’s all I can say. And I’m not a chardonnay socialist.

Government Senators:

Government senators interjecting—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Resume your seat, Senator Cash. I will give you the call. You are entitled to be heard in silence. On my right I need to hear the question!

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the government understand why so many low-paid women workers who supported Labor at the recent election believe that Labor has deceived and betrayed them?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I again invite the senator to read the submission. It makes it very clear that the government is committed to pay equity in Australia. It acknowledges the vital service that the social and community services sector delivers to many of our society’s most vulnerable Australians; it recognises that much of the work performed in the sector is undervalued; and it remains committed to working through the funding implications of any increase in wages awarded in partnership with the affected unions, employers in the sector and states and territories. That is a very sensible position for the government to take.

It is wrong for the senator to characterise the intent of the submission differently. I understand she has not read it, but I again say –

Government Senators:

Government senators interjecting—

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It’s on my desk. I rise on a point of order in relation to misrepresentation. The senator does not—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cash, if you claim to be misrepresented you are entitled to clear that up, but the normal time is at the end of taking note. I understand that point, but there is no point of order.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If I am wrong in assuming she has not read it then if she has read it she has not understood it.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am sorry, if Senator Cash has not read it, then she clearly has not understood it. (Time expired)

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Given the government’s betrayal of low-paid women workers, isn’t it true that Labor’s continual claims—

Government Senators:

Government senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On my right! I need to be able to hear the question—on both sides! The time to debate the issue is at the end of question time!

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given the government’s betrayal of low-paid women workers, isn’t it true that Labor’s continual claims that it alone is the party that looks after the workers is just more Labor rhetoric and Labor duplicity?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The betrayal of low-paid workers, the betrayal of women workers, was the passage through this Senate of Work Choices, stripping away many of the safeguards, stripping away the wages and conditions which had been hard fought for by many workers and the labour movement for many years. We know that this senator and a number of others on that side are amongst the champions advocating a return to Work Choices. So don’t come in here and try and pretend you care about working people when your party implemented the most antiworker legislation in this country has ever seen. There are people, including the good senator sitting behind you, Senator Back, from your own state, who are also advocating a return to many of the worst aspects of Work Choices. We know in this chamber who has a track record of standing up for workers’ rights, and it is not you.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cameron interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cameron! I am waiting to call someone on your side.