QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator WATT (Queensland—Minister for the Environment and Water) (15:02): It sounded to me like Senator Scarr was putting up his hand when the word obstacles was used then! Higher wages do mean a better life for working Australians and their families, and, every day, every member of the Albanese Labor government pushes for higher wages because we know that it will improve the lives of the millions of Australians that we represent.

When we first came to office, real wages were going backwards under the coalition by 3.6 per cent. Both annual and quarterly real wages fell for the last five quarters under those opposite, and that's because lower wages were a key design feature for the Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison governments' economic policy. The reality is that those on the other side hate wage rises.

They might have different party names, but, for the Liberals, the Nationals and One Nation, there's never a good time for a wage rise. They're already in coalition—the Liberals, the Nationals and One Nation—because they need each other to govern and because they share an agenda, which is all about cutting Australian wages and making life harder. Senator Wong: President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.