QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator WALSH (Victoria—Minister for Early Childhood Education and Minister for Youth) (14:23): Thank you, Senator Dolega. I know you have spent your working life fighting for Australian workers, and I know that this is a really important issue to you, so thank you for the question. Senator, I can tell you that the Albanese government fundamentally believes that Australians should earn a fair wage and keep more of it.

Last year, our government introduced historic reforms to improve pay, job security and working conditions for Australians. Our changes are protecting the penalty rates of 2.6 million Australians who rely on awards. Penalty rates aren't a bonus or a luxury.

They are a core entitlement for workers who sacrifice their weekends and their public holidays to keep Australia moving. We back them, and we back their penalty rates. Last month marked the one-year anniversary of the start of the right to disconnect.

Before the Albanese Labor government introduced the right to disconnect, workers felt penalised for wanting to spend uninterrupted time with their loved ones. It shouldn't be controversial that, if you're not getting paid, you shouldn't have to give up your personal time. Now Australians know that their time at home is protected.

This reform is being embraced by both workers and employers, with more than half of businesses surveyed by the Australian HR Institute indicating the right to disconnect has improved employee engagement and productivity. Teachers, nurses and hospo workers right across Australia are better off because of our changes—changes that were of course rejected by those opposite.

Our government will always stand up for workers. We are the party of workers, and we will ensure that Australian workers are valued and that they are protected. The PRESIDENT: Senator Dolega, first supplementary?