Interview with Sally Sara - ABC Radio National Breakfast

E&OE TRANSCRIPT

SALLY SARA, HOST: As three million Australians look forward to a pay rise following the Fair Work Commission's increase to the minimum wage, the Federal Government's attention is now turning to delivering on pre-election pledges. They include introducing legislation to protect workers penalty rates and providing better support to employees experiencing stillbirth and early, early infant death. These issues were on top of the agenda at the National Workplace Relations Consultative Council yesterday in Melbourne. It's a forum for government employers and unions. Joining me now is the Federal Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Amanda Rishworth. Minister, welcome back to Radio National Breakfast.

AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS: Great to be with you.

SALLY SARA: Are you confident that you have the support to enshrine penalty rates into law along with legislating to guarantee the pay parental leave gap for parents grappling with stillbirth and early infant death? Are you confident you have that guarantee that support when Parliament resumes?

AMANDA RISHWORTH: I would say that these were two very key election commitments. The first is really to protect our safety net in this country. And the award safety net is very important, so that is why we've said that we will legislate to protect penalty rates in awards. Now, that isn't designed to interfere with enterprise bargaining. Enterprise bargaining is really important and something that through the laws that we've passed, we want to encourage. But in our safety net we want to protect penalty rates. And I would hope that whether you're the coalition, The Greens or the crossbench, that you would be very clear that we were elected at the election to deliver on our election commitments. And that's what we intend to do when it comes to the cancellation of paid parental leave in the event of a stillbirth or early death. I would say that the vast majority of employers do the right thing. What we have is a situation where sometimes it's clear when it comes to unpaid leave, it's clear when it comes to the government paid parental leave. But it is a grey area in the law. And so sometimes managers or HR departments are grappling with that issue. And we want to make it crystal clear that where the paid parental leave entitlement exists in a workplace that it can't be cancelled. And I think there will be overwhelming support for that.

SALLY SARA: When are you planning to introduce these changes?

AMANDA RISHWORTH: Of course, in terms of penalty rates and protecting penalty rates, that is a top priority of ours. We've got to get the legislation drafted and consult on that legislation, but we would like to see that as soon as possible. Of course, it was a key election commitment. Equally, when it comes to the cancellation of paid parental leave in the event of a stillbirth or early child death, we absolutely want to get that right. We have also committed to consulting on it, but we would like to legislate that in a swift manner as well.

SALLY SARA: On to the increase to minimum wage, the Shadow Minister for Employment, Tim Wilson says it's another expense for small business. And the increase has also been criticised by the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia. How is Government helping small businesses to succeed?

AMANDA RISHWORTH: I'd say it's disappointing that the opposition spokesperson hasn't come out and supported a wage increase for our lowest paid workers, our low and award paid workers. Of course, the Commission looked very closely at this situation and our Government called for an economically sustainable real wage increase. And the commission has detailed closely all its elements about balancing economic conditions with a wage increase, noting that a lot of our low- and middle-income earners are under pressure. And so, this is a responsible decision and we welcome the decision. When it comes to small business, though, I think there's a number of things our Government is doing to support small business. But one of the key areas that helps lift productivity is having trained people. Of course, we're making record investments in training and with our fee free TAFE and across the board, that has real benefits to small business so they can get trained people to do the job. That's one of a number of measures that we've taken. But I'm not sure that the argument that we pay people less and we don't see our lowest paid workers get a wage increase is actually the answer to what is broadly the discussion in this country, which is how do we improve productivity, which has been stagnating for decades.

SALLY SARA: You're listening to Radio National Breakfast and you're hearing from the Federal Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Amanda Rishworth. On a separate issue, Minister, former Labor Senator turned Independent Fatima Payman says the Government's welcoming of former Greens Senator Dorinda Cox raises questions about whether caucus is ready to accept different voices and views. What's your assessment of Senator Cox's move to Labor?

AMANDA RISHWORTH: Obviously Senator Cox has made that decision, and I welcome her decision. She's indicated that she wants to be a part of practical progress, which is what you can deliver from government. In terms of the caucus, we have an incredibly talented caucus that brings different viewpoints, different ideas to the caucus and discusses them in caucus. We have a range of different committees and work that contribute to our government. And so, I know that all our new members, as well as our existing caucus members, make an enormous contribution to their communities, but to the caucus. And I welcome Dorinda Cox's contribution to that.

SALLY SARA: How can you have confidence that Senator Cox will support Labor's policy positions despite vocally criticising Labor's positions as recently as last week on the Northwest Shelf extension?

AMANDA RISHWORTH: Look, that's a matter for Senator Cox. What I would say is she's indicated she wants to be part of practical progress. I mean, that's what she's indicated and that's what our Government will deliver to an election. We have put forward, you know, many election commitments, a vision for the country, and as the Prime Minister has said.

SALLY SARA: You're new to this portfolio. What do you want to see in the next three years that the Government hasn't done in its first three?

AMANDA RISHWORTH: I would say that delivering on our election commitments, there is also importantly the banning of non-compete clauses to stop workers being held back in jobs that they may be able to go to another job, but they have been not allowed to do that. The banning of those non-compete clauses, you would assume, that would be at just high-income areas, but they are right across the income span of workers in this country. So, that's an important other element that we want to deliver. Just to give you one example, it's been put to me that disability workers working part time have been asked to sign these non-compete clauses which stops them taking up part time work in another industry. So, getting on with that work with the Treasurer is important. But broadly, we do want to see more cooperative workplaces in Australia. And that's what our laws that we passed last term were designed to do, embedding down those laws. I do want to see more cooperative workplaces where workers and unions and employers work together to resolve any disputes that arise. But actually, look at how they can best work together to deliver productive workplaces. I think that is critical in the next three years.

SALLY SARA: Minister, thank you for your time this morning.