Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026

Ms AMBIHAIPAHAR (Barton) (12:12): I rise to speak on the appropriation bill. I have had the opportunity to practice as an employment industrial relations lawyer for about 10 years. I've had the privilege of helping workers with underpayments, unfair dismissals, general protections, enterprise bargaining and much more.

This experience has traversed various industries, such as construction and health. I've also been able to support employers in navigating workplace relations law, ensuring that they are compliant whilst providing the advice and representation that balances our operational challenges and the rights of workers. This was primarily in the hospitality sector, working for small-business hotel operators and also for large employers.

I come into this chamber having a wealth of experience and a good grasp of what good employment and industrial relations reform can do to help workers. I come into this chamber having a good understanding that good policy that supports workers can also support employers, what good wages growth means to workers and how that plays a role in the retention of workers but also in providing stability for employers.

The Albanese government is committed to workers keeping more of what they earn and supporting Australians with the cost of living. When I was campaigning in my electorate of Barton, I know people voted for higher wages, and that is exactly what this Labor government is doing. Real wage growth is pertinent to helping workers with the cost of living and making sure that they can get ahead.

This government has delivered the strongest annual real wage growth in five years. We can see that the reforms for enterprise bargaining are having a practical impact, where there are a record 2.8 million Aussies covered by an enterprise agreement. One thing I learnt during my time in the union movement is that people covered by an enterprise agreement tend to have much higher wage growth than those who are on the award.

Under this government, enterprise bargaining agreements are delivering average annual wage increases of 4.2 per cent. This is above inflation and average wage increases in the broader economy. Furthermore, as of 1 July this year, all minimum and award wage employees got a 3.5 per cent wage rise.

This Labor government has consistently advocated sustainable rises for the minimum and award wages at the Fair Work Commission to ensure we protect our low-paid workers from the pressures of the cost of living. I know how important penalty rates are both to my community of Barton and across the country, especially for young workers. The recent legislative changes guarantee that approximately 2.6 million people who are award reliant, who slog it hard on public holidays and weekends at the cost of not being with their family and friends, have their penalty rates protected.

Penalty and overtime rates are crucial to ensuring people who rely on these entitlements have them protected by law. These are generally the young workers who work in retail and hospitality and in the caring industry. We also understand that workers who tend to be award reliant are more likely to be women.

This is an important reform to protect not only young workers but also women. Furthermore, this Albanese Labor government has focused on reform to remove barriers from bargaining that have been especially significant for workers in low-paid female dominated sectors like childhood education and aged care. That's because, unlike those on the other side of the chamber, we recognise the historical gender based undervaluation of workers in these industries.

Because of the Albanese Labor government, the gender pay gap is now at its equal lowest level on record of 11.5 per cent. We have placed gender equality at the heart of the economic management approach by passing legislation to enable that principle in the Fair Work Commission's decision-making process. We on this side of the chamber understand that this policy reform is what Australians and the people of Barton voted for.

When we talk about wages, workplace laws and fairness, we are really talking about people—the nurse finishing her multiple night shifts in a row; the hospitality worker spending every Saturday night behind the bar, instead of with their family; and the construction worker who just wants to get home safely after a long day on the site. These are the Australians who trust us to get it right—to deliver a system that values their contribution and rewards their hard work.

That is exactly what this Labor government is doing.