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

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Senator Watt. The Albanese Labor government is delivering real change for Australian workers by helping Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn. How is the government backing wage rises across the country to support Aussie workers?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Sterle, who's one of the many Labor senators who's devoted his entire working life to assisting Australian workers to get ahead.

I might not take Senator Bragg's suggestion that I freelance. It didn't seem to work out that well for him, so I might stick to my notes. The one-man think tank is a very, very lonely think tank.

The Albanese Labor government is helping Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn by lifting wages and cutting taxes for workers. We've seen strong wage growth for years under our government. We know that enterprise agreements continue to be a key source of wage growth for Australian workers—

Senator Bragg, you might want to stick around and learn something about Australian workers—and that's why our efforts to reinvigorate bargaining are so important. For two years in a row, our government has strongly advocated to the independent Fair Work Commission for an economically sustainable real wage rise for Australia's minimum and award wage workers. The recent decision by the commission to increase the national minimum wage and modern awards by at least 4.75 per cent will deliver a real wage increase from 1 July for almost 2.7 million Australian workers around the country.

Compare that to the coalition who, for a decade, deliberately kept wages low. Senator Canavan is assuring us that that's the way he wants things to stay. The Liberal Party even admitted that keeping wages low was part of their economic architecture. Of course, One Nation have worked hand in hand with the Liberals to oppose every move by Labor to support Aussie workers getting a real pay rise.

Only Labor is committed to increasing the pay packets of working Australians to deal with the cost-of-living pressures now and to help them in their retirement through universal superannuation. Labor created superannuation, and it's Labor that believes in it. That's why the Albanese government has strengthened our superannuation system to deliver a better retirement for working Australians, all the while opposed by the combined forces of the Liberals, the Nationals and One Nation, who only this week have confirmed their determination to— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sterle, first supplementary?

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

Australians are doing it tough right now with cost-of-living pressures continuing to impact families around the country. What else is the Albanese Labor government doing to ensure Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn? What obstacles are standing in their way?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sterle, you're right; the Albanese Labor government is tackling inflation and delivering cost-of-living relief to all Australian families. We've locked in a tax cut for every taxpayer, cheaper medicines, more bulk-billing, funding to build more homes and getting wages moving again.

What is One Nation's answer to help workers with the cost of living? Funnily enough, it bears a very close similarity to their allies in the Liberal and National parties, because all three of these parties oppose increases to the minimum wage, support scrapping penalty rates and want to make it easier to sack you because they think you're lazy. Now they are coming after your superannuation. The truth is the Liberals and One Nation are two sides of the same coin. In every way that matters, the Liberals and One Nation are already in coalition, and that's because they share an agenda. They are both determined to cut wages, to cut superannuation and to cut the cost-of-living relief that Australians need.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sterle, second supplementary?

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

Boosting the wages of working Australians is one of the best ways to help people with those cost-of-living pressures. Can the minister outline the other ways in which the government is backing workers to keep more of what they earn throughout their career and beyond?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) | Link to this | Hansard source

The Albanese Labor government is backing workers with tax cuts, higher wages and a strengthened superannuation system. The Liberals, Nationals and One Nation will take an axe to your wages and superannuation if they get the chance. We know that Senator Bragg told the National Press Club that contributing to your super was a loss of liberty. He also said he wished he'd done more to stop the madness during his time inside the Morrison government. I don't know what he must think about what's going on over there at the moment! Senator Bragg then went on to call for a revolution, call the Labor Party communists eight or nine times and compare young workers to cats and dogs. It really was a big day out, wasn't it? It's as unhinged as Senator Roberts calling same job, same pay poison or Senator Hanson saying women only get pregnant for the money. This is the divisive and chaotic coalition that is coming for Australian workers because they can only form government with each other, and they share a desire to cut Australians' wages, superannuation and cost-of-living relief. Only Labor is delivering the real change Australians need. (Time expired)

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.