Wage Justice for Early Childhood Education and Care Workers (Special Account) (Extending Support and Strengthening Safety) Bill 2026

Senator O'SULLIVAN (Western Australia—Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) (19:05): Minister, if the principal concern is to ensure that that pay rise is supported by the worker retention payment and that that's where it actually ends up going, then, if a worker is an independent contractor or a sole trader, the individual—the worker, the one performing the service—is the one who would be receiving the payment.

How is there any risk at all that the worker retention grant is not passed on? They themselves are the recipient. They don't need to pass it on because they are receiving it themselves.

Why has the government made this decision? Is there, in fact, a different reason the government is going down this path, other than ensuring that the payment goes to the individual who is performing the service?