Secure Jobs, Better Pay

For nearly a decade Australian wages have been kept deliberately low by the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison Government as a design feature of their economic policies.

As your local member I have always fought for better wages, improved job security and to end gender-based discrimination in the workforce and I was proud that one of the first things we did in Government was secure a pay rise for Australia’s lowest paid workers.

As a Government we have continued to deliver for working Australians by passing the Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill.

This legislation will deliver much needed wage rises for working Australians and will modernize the bargaining system which will see more workplace agreements, delivering better productivity and flexibility for employers and better pay and conditions for workers.

The Secure Jobs, Better Pay legislation will also:

• Reform the Better Off Overall Test so it’s simple, flexible and fair;
• Put gender pay equity at the heart of the Fair Work Act;
• Ban pay secrecy clauses that hold back women’s wages;
• Expand access to flexible rostering arrangements;
• Limit the use of fixed term contracts;
• Ban job ads that advertise below minimum rates of pay;
• Terminate WorkChoices “zombie” agreements;
• Give the Fair Work Commission more powers to arbitrate industrial disputes;
• Abolish politicised anti-worker organisations.

As both the Member of Kingston and the Minister for Social Services, I will continue to fight for fair treatment for all Australians.