Ellie Whiteaker (WA, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the minister for youth, Senator Walsh. Young Australians want the same opportunities as the generations before them: a good job, fair pay and the chance to build a secure future. The Albanese Labor government is delivering real change by getting wages moving, strengthening workplace protections and helping young Australians keep more of what they earn. What does the latest wage data tell us about our progress in improving the economic security of young workers?

Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Early Childhood Education) | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Whiteaker, for your question and for—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Come to order!

Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Early Childhood Education) | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Whiteaker, for all of your support for young workers in WA and workers across the country. This week's data confirms that wages are growing under Labor. Wages are up by 3.2 per cent over the year, and real wages are up in the quarter as well. That matters for young workers. The young Australians who are starting—

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Minister Walsh, please resume your seat. Senator Wong?

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

President, my point of order is about the disruptive behaviour from those opposite. This is a question about young Australians, and I think people would like to—

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Order!

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

It would be a bit of courtesy and respect for young Australians if the minister could at least be heard.

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

Minister, you would be aware that throughout this question time in particular I have called to order and I have reminded senators that I'm quite prepared to use standing order 203. I should not have to do this. I expect the minister to be heard in silence. Minister Walsh.

Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Early Childhood Education) | Link to this | Hansard source

We support the young Australians who are starting their first job, building their skills, building their careers, building their future and getting ahead. The Albanese Labor government is committed to helping them do just that. How? This way—on our watch, the minimum wage is now more than $12,000 a year higher, and it is $1,000 a week for the first time. That's because we've backed five consecutive increases to the minimum wage—

And I'll take the interjection. You think that is a joke? We think that is progress for Australian workers. As the Prime Minister said, we absolutely back higher minimum wages for Australians—

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Minister Walsh, please resume your seat. Order! Senator McKenzie, if you interject any more during the remainder of question time, I am going to name you under standing order 203. If you don't think you can keep quiet for the remainder of question time and you don't want to come under standing order 203, leave the chamber. I am serious. I'm over the interjections. I'm over the rudeness. I'm over the disrespect. Minister Walsh, please continue.

Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Early Childhood Education) | Link to this | Hansard source

Our government will never walk away from young workers. As the Prime Minister has said, we absolutely back higher minimum wages for Australians—unlike all of those opposite—and that includes young Australians. It's why we back penalty rates. It's why we've locked them in with legislation. It's why we back making wage theft a crime, and we have. It's why we back abolishing junior rates, giving young workers in retail, fast food and pharmacy a pay rise. Before I entered parliament, I was proud to represent young hospitality workers, so I know that the biggest beneficiaries of these changes are our nation's young people. This is what Labor is delivering—higher wages and higher weekly earnings. Our government has got wages moving. We know you all love low wages. We back Australian workers.

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

Senator Whiteaker, first supplementary?

Ellie Whiteaker (WA, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Young Australians make an important contribution in workplaces across our economy. They deserve wages that properly value their work and give them the opportunity to get ahead. How is the Albanese Labor government acting to lift wages and deliver fairer pay for young workers?

Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Early Childhood Education) | Link to this | Hansard source

Labor listen to young people and we act on what they tell us. I recently met Brayden, Prachi, Genita and Misha, four young workers from the SDA who stood up for fair pay. They campaigned for 18- to 20-year-olds working in retail, fast food and pharmacy to be paid the same as their older co-workers. It's not too much to ask. It worked, and it's only fair. We on this side of the chamber will always back a fair day's pay for a fair day's work, and that includes for young Australians. Their contribution deserves to be valued. They never got that under the coalition government. The coalition called low wages a deliberate design feature. We call this a deliberate choice to make wages higher. When young workers stood up, we stood with them, and, together, we are delivering fairer pay.

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

Senator Whiteaker, second supplementary?

Ellie Whiteaker (WA, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Young Australians deserve these higher wages and improved conditions, but our progress so far cannot be taken for granted. What obstacles stand in the way of delivering fair wages and greater economic security for young workers?

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Early Childhood Education) | Link to this | Hansard source

We're hearing from those obstacles right now. The biggest obstacle is all those opposite, who always oppose higher wages for young Australians. Everybody knows what young people got from the coalition government. They spent a decade deliberately keeping wages low—and they were proud of it. One Nation are cut from the same cloth. They don't back young workers either. They opposed increases to the minimum wage. They want to scrap penalty rates. They want to make it easier to sack workers—and we know who goes first; it's young workers. They tried to block better job security for casuals. They voted against—

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

Minister Walsh, resume your seat. Withdraw that, Senator Hume.

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations) | Link to this | Hansard source

You can't just make stuff up.

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

Senator Hume!

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations) | Link to this | Hansard source

But they're making stuff up.

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

Senator Hume—

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations) | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

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

resume your seat.

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations) | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

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

No, you do not sit in your seat and withdraw; you stand up.

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations) | Link to this | Hansard source

I've withdrawn twice.

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

No, you haven't withdrawn twice.

No, I'm running the chamber, Senator Hume, not you. Senator Ayres, resume your seat. I'm going to remind those across the chamber: if you make a remark, which is disorderly, you withdraw it respectfully. You don't add to it. You don't make comment. You simply stand up and withdraw, and you do that when I ask. Senator Hume, please withdraw.

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations) | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

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

Thank you. Senator Walsh.

Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Early Childhood Education) | Link to this | Hansard source

I was talking about One Nation. Senator Hume may want to run protection for One Nation because they are really two sides of the same coin. They all oppose higher wages for young workers. One Nation oppose better protections for gig workers. They oppose making wage theft a crime. They oppose better job security for casuals. On this side of the chamber— (Time expired)