Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Penalty and Overtime Rates) Bill 2025

Senator KOVACIC (New South Wales) (18:07): We have a problem with productivity in our country at the moment. We had a productivity roundtable last week, which has been much publicised, raising a couple of very interesting ideas. The empty-bedroom tax, I think, was one of those, which has been discussed here today.

Senator Watt interjecting— Senator KOVACIC: We'll go back to general productivity. Could you please help me understand and explain to me how the government reconciles this bill and the potential impacts of this bill with the fact that Australia's labour productivity is at its lowest level in 60 years, particularly as we've outlined the potential impacts to Australian small businesses.