Cuts to penalty rates will hurt local workers like Ruby in Tasmania

Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Brendan O’Connor joined the Member for Bass Ross Hart and retail worker Ruby Wallace in Launceston today, calling on the Turnbull Government to reverse its support of cuts to penalty rates.

Malcolm Turnbull and his team have enthusiastically supported a decision that will see thousands of Tasmanians lose up to $77 per week from their pay packet.

Mr Turnbull’s Tasmanian team must tell their constituents whether they support slashing the wages of hard working Tasmanians.

Figures show that Bass will be hard hit by the cut to penalty rates – more than 8,689 people, or one in six workers, in Bass work in the retail, food and accommodation industries affected by the cuts.

Retail is the second biggest industry in Bass, employing 5,303 workers. Food and hospitality is the fifth biggest industry in Bass, employing 3,386 workers.

One of those workers is Ruby, 25, who lives in Newstead and works in retail on Sundays. She says for her and many other workers in her position a cut to penalty rates will be “devastating”

“I am unable to live pay cheque to pay cheque at the moment. I rarely save money. Losing that bit extra makes it a bit harder. People like me in my situation, we spend money on little luxuries that go back into the community and it means I’ll have less money to do that, pay the rent and other essentials.”

Malcolm Turnbull and his Ministers campaigned for the Fair Work Commission to cut penalty rates.

Not only is the proposed penalty rate cut bad for Ruby and workers, it is also bad for the Tasmanian economy, as these workers will now have less money to spend in local shops, restaurants and other businesses.

Labor is determined to stop this damage being inflicted on our local workers and economy.

Labor will on Monday introduce a Private Member’s Bill to prevent the wages of workers relying on the award from being cut. Labor’s Bill would stop the penalty rates cut from taking effect and ensure penalty rates cannot be cut in future if it results in a reduction in workers’ take-home pay.

Malcolm Turnbull’s Liberal-National Government is seriously out of touch, voting against protecting workers from a $77 per week pay cut, but voting for a $50 billion corporate tax cut for big business.
THE HON BRENDAN O’CONNOR MP SHADOW MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS MEMBER FOR GORTON ROSS HART MP MEMBER FOR BASS