QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator WALSH (Victoria—Minister for Early Childhood Education and Minister for Youth) (14:26): We understand that many Australians are feeling pressure at the moment, and that's why our No. 1 focus is delivering real cost-of-living relief. Under our government 1.3 million extra jobs have been created. We have the lowest average unemployment for any government in half a century, and your wages have grown above three per cent for 16 straight quarters.

In addition to more jobs and higher wages, protecting penalty rates is one of the key ways our government is supporting Australian workers. If you work when most Australians are spending time with family, you deserve fair compensation. That includes employees on awards, the majority of who are women and who are under the age of 35.

For hundreds of thousands of Australians, penalty rates mean the difference between getting by and getting ahead, and we want Australians to get ahead. While those opposite want to cut workers' rights, only this government backs Australian workers. The PRESIDENT: Senator Dolega, second supplementary?