Doorstop interview - Parliament House

AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS:    Well, hello everyone. It’s great to be joined behind me with some retail and fast food workers, and of course their union, the SDA. They are here today to make sure we know here in the Parliament just how important pay rises are to help them with cost of living. Of course, many of these young people are going to benefit from the Fair Work Commission’s decision to award adult pay for adult work. This was a campaign run by the union in the commission, and it is now delivering.

But in addition to that, from 1 July next week, the workers behind me will benefit from the historic Fair Work Commission’s decision to lift the minimum award wages and the minimum wage. Our Government advocated strongly for an economically sustainable real wage increase, and we very much welcome the Commission’s decision to award a 4.75 per cent wage increase for those award-reliant workers, and a six per cent wage increase for those on the national minimum wage. This is really important news to many workers behind me that need this extra boost.

Of course, our Government has at every single opportunity, advocated for an increase in the minimum wage, because we believe workers like the ones behind me deserve a decent pay increase. Of course, we are the party that has done this. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to matter if you’re the Liberal Party, One Nation or the National Party – each of those three right-wing parties have tried to oppose a national minimum wage increase. They have refused time and time over the last month to back in a minimum wage increase. Well, we are proud to stand with workers like those behind us to make sure that they get a minimum wage increase, and they will do on 1 July.

Not only on 1 July will they get a pay increase, but they will also get a tax cut. Our Government, of course, is focused on delivering tax cuts for workers. We are providing those tax cuts in five different ways in the Budget to make sure workers get decent help with cost of living. So, we are very proud to back workers. Unfortunately, we’ve seen the Liberal Party, One Nation and the National Party abandon workers, but our Government will always stand with workers.

Now, I’m going to ask Charlotte to talk with you about what it means for her with this wage increase. 

CHARLOTTE:    Hi, my name is Charlotte. I’m 19 years old, and I’m a retail worker in Western Australia. This pay increase to me will mean I’m able to help out more around the house and afford essentials easier and more stress-free, such as food and clothes. Also, adding an extra savings to my account every week would mean a lot.

AMANDA RISHWORTH:    Excellent. And we’ve just got Byron that’s going to share his experience also.

BYRON:    Hi, my name is Byron. I’m from Newcastle and work in retail. This wage rise for me means that I’m going to have extra money in my pay packet each week, which is going to allow me to save more for a house so I can finally, hopefully, get in the housing market.

AMANDA RISHWORTH:    I’m very pleased to be joined with Gerard Dwyer, who is the National Secretary of the SDA. As I mentioned, the SDA had been advocating on behalf of these younger workers to ensure that they got paid fairly but, of course, has also a strong advocate for an increase in the minimum wage knowing that many of the members of the SDA will benefit.

GERARD DWYER:    On behalf of 200,000 workers in retail, fast food and hospitality, I actually want to thank the Albanese Government for the submission that they put in to the annual wage review. People shouldn’t underestimate how critically important it is that the voice of government is in those commission hearings, and that voice is on the side of working people. 

The 4.75 per cent increase from 1 July is going to make such a difference to our members, a difference as material as putting food on the table and keeping a roof over their heads. Because our members are amongst the lowest paid Australian workers, and a 4.75 per cent increase makes such a material difference for them.

So, having a Government on your side during those Fair Work Commission hearings is a critical difference to the outcome. And Australian workers and the SDA Union, and the trade union movement generally, thank the Government for their advocacy on a real wage increase for Australian workers from 1 July.

AMANDA RISHWORTH:    We’ll go to questions.

JOURNALIST:    Minister, what do you make of Pauline Hanson's comments about paid parental leave and that businesses shouldn’t have to pay? 

AMANDA RISHWORTH:    Yeah look, I am obviously very disappointed with Pauline Hanson and One Nation's comments on a range of workplace relations issues, but I'm not surprised. Pauline Hanson and One Nation have had a long history of not supporting workers in this country. They voted against Same Job Same Pay, they voted against reinvigorating enterprise bargaining, and they failed to back in a real wage increase for our workers, our minimum award reliant workers behind me. 

But in addition, I am disappointed to hear Pauline Hanson not support paid parental leave provided by employers. Paid parental leave provided by employers is a critically important payment that is made to many, and it is not actually compulsory. It's used by businesses to support women, to keep women, and make sure that they are able to stay connected to the workplace. So, it shows to me that Pauline Hanson and One Nation isn't in touch with Australian workers, just like the Liberal Party. It wasn't that long ago that the Liberal Party told people they had to choose between their employer paid parental leave or their government paid parental leave. So it is absolutely appalling, I think, that we are seeing an attack on working people. And that's when it comes to the minimum wage, Same job Same Pay - the Liberal Party and One Nation always team up against workers. 

JOURNALIST:     [inaudible question] 

AMANDA RISHWORTH:    I am really concerned that a future right-wing government made up of the Liberal Party and One Nation will indeed roll back workers' entitlements. We've heard One Nation, for example, say that they think the systems broken, and we've heard the Liberal Party say they'll look at it all. And we all know what that means. That means taking away vital protections for workers, it means taking away important opportunities for workers to get pay increases. I mean, we know that both the Liberal Party and One Nation want to make it easier for workers to be sacked. Pauline Hanson was very clear about that. The Liberal Party in the past has advocated for that. So, I am concerned that a right-wing government made up of One Nation, the National Party and the Liberal Party is a threat to working people in this country. 

JOURNALIST:    The Employment Services Report that you announced at the National Press Club the consultation on that is now underway. What can you tell me about how that is being undertaken? Is it open and transparent? And what do you say to accusations that the whole proposition is tinkering around the edges? 

AMANDA RISHWORTH:    Well, I completely reject that this Employment Services reform is tinkering around the edges. We are embarking the most significant reform in 30 years when it comes to Employment Services. And what we're doing, of course, is trying to make it fairer, but also most importantly, make it effective, make it person-centred. So, I believe that there is a significant positive outcome that we will be able to achieve. 

When it comes to the feedback, we've announced and I've announced at the National Press Club a framework, but of course details matter. And so we're working through the details. We've held open discussion forums right around the country and we'll continue to do that. There is a discussion paper available on the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations website. Anyone is able to put in a submission. We are putting together a lived experience panel in which we'll be able to provide feedback. We've also put together an advisory group. So, there are multiple pathways that, whether you're an organisation or an individual, you’re able to feed into this reform. I welcome comments, conversation, feedback, because we do want to get this right. We want to make it a better experience for job seekers, a better experience for employers, and make sure the Commonwealth is getting the best possible service, a quality service, and value for money. 

JOURNALIST:    Minister, just on this wages that are going up in July. Like, businesses have to look at paying their super requirements, there are new arrangements around any kind of money laundering, and now with financing arrangements that adds another line for businesses? What do you say to businesses who are worried about all these extra demands?

AMANDA RISHWORTH:    Look, absolutely we are always listening to businesses about how we can best support them. And that's why in the Budget there were a significant number of measures particularly aimed at small business to help small business with financial costs. But when we look at some of the reforms such as payday super, such as the minimum wage increase, these are really important for fairness in the country to make sure people get what they are owed. When it comes to ensuring that laws are upheld and that we do stamp out criminality, once again, critically important. So, we will always work with small business about how we can support them to do business. And where there is unnecessary red tape, we’ll always work to reduce it. But when we come to a simple proposition, like people should get paid their super in their super accounts in the same way that they get paid their wages, that’s a pretty simple expectation and something that workers deserve. And I think it’s a reasonable proposition.