Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health) Share this | Hansard source

It is interesting. I hear the member for Kooyong say 'market rates'. I am sure he would like to abolish all minimum protections of wages and conditions and allow workers to be out there as individuals and seeing what the market will pay them. On this side of the House, we believe in a minimum wage and we believe in the protections that are associated with it. While there has been a lot of guff, a lot of typos corrected and a lot of repeals of acts that have not made a difference at all to business, at all to the community or, indeed, at all to the workings of government, we do see a few little sneaky things here.

I am very disappointed that the repeal of the Commonwealth Cleaning Services Guidelines makes cleaners in this place and, indeed, throughout the Australian government very, very vulnerable. I have met many cleaners who work at this place. They are always here with a friendly smile, and, indeed, one of the lovely cleaners dropped over some cucumbers to my office the other day. They put in so much effort and show so much kindness to us to make sure that we can do our jobs. All this government can do is, under a buried mound of pieces of legislation that mean nothing, rip away their pay, conditions and protections. I call on the government to reconsider this nasty and tricky act. This is very concerning. I do not have time because, as I have said, I have been gagged by the government, so I cannot talk about—

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