QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Senator WATT (Queensland—Minister for the Environment and Water) (14:44): Thanks to Senator Grogan, who, along with pretty much everyone in the Labor caucus here, has a proud record of standing up for the wages of Australian workers, something that can't be said for anyone from around there right through to—oh no, they've gone, because they don't bother turning up for question time.
The PRESIDENT: Minister Watt, we don't refer to whether senators are in or out of the chamber. Thank you. Senator WATT: Okay, okay—we'll just talk about attendance at estimates instead.
Higher wages is one of the best ways to help people with the cost of living, and that's what we're delivering for workers around the country. Wages for all workers are up due to the Albanese Labor government's workplace law reforms, and we've taken action to support workers in the care sector, who've been undervalued for too long. Earlier this month, the government was proud to back the aged-care nurses who look after our loved ones through another wage rise.
Since we came to office, aged-care workers have now received five wage increases, because we believe these workers should be properly valued for the care they provide to our older Australians. This means that, since we came to government in 2022, aged-care nurses will have seen their pay increase by up to $36,000 per year. Supporting better wages and looking after workers is at the heart of our commitment to deliver real change for Australians, because these workers deserve more than our gratitude; they deserve fair pay for the essential work they do.
This investment recognises the big contribution that nurses in aged care make to our economy and community, and will help to create a bigger incentive for young Australians looking for a rewarding career to choose aged-care careers in the future. Better pay for aged care nurses means better care for older Australians. Our record boost to wages is making it easier for aged-care homes to attract and retain nurses, ensuring older people can access higher-quality, more consistent care.
After a decade of decay under the coalition, aged-care workers deserved better pay, and in four short years Labor has delivered exactly that. This latest pay rise builds on our work to get wages moving and strengthen the sector for years to come. The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Minister.
Senator Grogan, first supplementary?