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

Senator WATT (Queensland—Minister for the Environment and Water) (18:14): I place a very high premium on governments delivering on their commitments, and everyone in our government does as well. I don't think it's exactly a surprise to hear, with the greatest of respect, employer groups opposing changes to workplace laws that are about protecting workers' wages.

The same groups opposed every part of our workplace relations reform agenda in the last term of office. Senator Cash went as far as saying it would send us back to the Dark Ages, that it would empty supermarket shelves, that it would close down Australia—all the usual hyperbole you get from Senator Cash. She has moved on to a new portfolio but maintains the hyperbole.

All of those statements proved to be wrong. Employer groups have a role to play. They represent the views of employers.

I get it. They're not always right.