QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Ms RISHWORTH (Kingston—Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) (14:55): I'd like to thank the member for Lalor for her question and her ongoing advocacy for hardworking Australians in her electorate and right around the country. Of course, the Albanese Labor government has introduced significant reforms to support Australian workers and get wages moving.

Our government has passed laws to improve enterprise bargaining, bringing employers and workers back to the table. As a result, we've seen a record number of employees benefiting from higher wages. We're also backing workers through our same job, same pay reforms.

Before these reforms were in place, labour hire workers were doing the same work, wearing the same uniform, turning up to the same shifts and getting paid less than direct employees. I, along with the member for Paterson, recently met with Scott, a coalminer in the Hunter. He told me that at his site labour hire workers are now receiving $40,000 a year more because of this government.

These workers are some of the thousands across Australia receiving pay increases and, importantly, now being treated fairly. Of course, this Labor government has advocated each and every year to the Fair Work Commission to boost the pay of low-paid workers. From next week, minimum award workers will receive a wage increase of 4.75 per cent in their pay packets.

This represents a real wage increase and important cost-of-living relief. Critically, the lowest paid workers that rely on the national minimum wage will receive a six per cent pay increase from next week. We're not only backing workers by supporting higher wages; we're backing them to get a fair go in the tax system.

This Labor government is delivering tax cuts, with the average worker benefiting by up to $2,800 a year. I'm asked what could put this progress at risk. Well, the biggest risk to working Australians is the three right-wing parties over on that side: the Liberal Party, the National Party and One Nation.

All three of them voted against same job, same pay, which is delivering higher pay and fairer conditions. All three railed against our reforms to reinvigorate enterprise bargaining, which is now delivering higher wages and better conditions. And, of course, in the last few weeks, all three failed to back a wage increase for our lowest paid workers in this country.

It is only a Labor government that can be trusted to be on the side of working Australians.