Press conference - Parliament House
AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS: Well, today’s Labour Force figures shows the ongoing resilience of the Australian labour market, with unemployment decreasing slightly to 4.4 per cent. There were 40,000 extra people in jobs in the month of May, and this is really good news for Australians wanting work or in work. The total number of Australians now in jobs is 14.7 million, and this is a really impressive number. This month’s job data shows that jobs are up, unemployment is down, and that more people are getting the opportunity to enjoy the dignity that comes along with work.
Now, three key things to take from today’s figures: first, this is good news for women. Women’s unemployment is down, and the number of women in jobs is up. The news is also very good for young people, with the youth unemployment rate decreasing by 0.6 percentage points to 10.4 per cent. And, of course, it is also good news with continuing near-record highs of participation, with almost near-record highs of people either looking for work or in work. Now, these figures today really do show that the Australian economy is very resilient and the labour market is incredibly resilient, because the figures are in the context with the backdrop of the war in the Middle East.
Now, since 2022, employment growth in Australia has outpaced all advanced major economies, which really does show the work that we’re doing to create jobs is paying off. Of course, global uncertainty continues, and our government will continue to take all practical measures to ensure that we shield Australians, Australian households and our nation from the worst of this conflict. But the Albanese Labor Government is absolutely committed to continue to work to ensure that we are creating jobs, we’re getting wages moving and delivering tax cuts for the Australian people.
JOURNALIST: Minister, can I ask about this bill that you’re pushing through, guillotined it yesterday, I believe? Geoffrey Watson says this is the type of measure or rule that leads to the sort of corruption that we saw in Victoria with the CFMEU. What’s the justification, and do you accept his criticism of that?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Look, I have the utmost respect for Geoffrey Watson, and I absolutely accept that what he’s seen in the past, there has been bad behaviour by unions and businesses in Victoria. And that is why our government has taken incredibly strong action to stamp out corruption. When it comes to government procurement, I have been very clear that we want to see our government procurement to drive good behaviour in the construction industry. That’s actually what the National Construction Industry Forum, which has employers and unions on, would like to see. And that’s why we’ve announced a national construction code which would ensure that when government funding is used for construction projects that they are genuinely agreed, and that workplaces are free from coercion and intimidation. So we absolutely want to see value for money, merit and quality. We recognise there’s challenges in construction. That’s why I’ve been very clear and have become- already begun consultation on our construction code that drives better behaviour in the construction industry.
JOURNALIST: Minister, with respect, that’s not what I was asking about. I was asking about the workplace bill that you’re pushing through with almost no debate. The Senate’s guillotined it. Why is that the right sort of bill to have? Why is it important? Give people a justification for why it is that you need to have an EBA to do a deal or provide a service to the government?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: As I said in the second reading speech, we are not saying that you have to have an enterprise agreement to do business with the Commonwealth. That is not something that this bill does, and for anyone to suggest otherwise hasn't actually read the bill. What the bill does is allow, if necessary, for the government to preference an enterprise agreement when procuring. Because we know that enterprise agreements can drive up wages and can make sure that people get decent jobs and decent conditions. But in this bill, there is no requirement for the Commonwealth to do that. What we have said is that we will outline the circumstances when we may or may not do that in our secure jobs code, which we are currently out for consultation on. But when we come to construction, which is what Geoffrey Watson examined and was talking about, we have said that there needs to be a different approach in construction. And that's why and indeed, the National Construction Industry Forum clearly said to us that they wanted the Commonwealth to use its procurement power to ensure that when they are spending money, that if there's an enterprise agreement in place, that it's free from corruption, that is properly negotiated in good faith and free from coercion. So we are proceeding with a construction code that will do just that.
JOURNALIST: Just to help people understand, why is it so important that this provision be put into procurements by the Commonwealth? Shouldn't the test be, is it the best value the government can get at the best price? Perhaps even the lowest price, some people might say.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, of course what people want to see the government use its procurement money, of course in a way that is value for money. Of course it's quality service, but also ensuring that it's driving good jobs, secure jobs. That is quite important. However, as I've said, when it comes to construction, it is about ensuring that enterprise agreements are freely entered into without coercion and that are bargained in good faith. And the expectation from business groups has been that that we use our procurement power to ensure that those types of enterprise agreements- that type of free-from-coercion enterprise agreements are actually- we use our procurement power to ensure that that happens. So there is a different approach across the board. But, of course, value for money needs to stay front and centre. Of course, quality needs to be there. But, of course, ensuring that people get decent jobs is also important. Thanks.