SCOTT MORRISON’S ATTACK ON WORKERS’ PAY

The Morrison Government has confirmed it still wants to cut workers’ take home pay.

Scott Morrison and Christian Porter have made it clear they are only ditching their plan to scrap the Better Off Overall Test because they cannot get it through the Parliament – not because they recognise it’s unfair.

In his statement, Mr Porter said he still believes the change – which would remove the safety net for workers and give employers vastly expanded powers to cut pay and entitlements – is “sensible and proportionate”.

They are retreating this time for the sake of political expediency.

But clearly this is what they want to do. They want to cut workers’ take home pay - and if they get another chance they’ll try again.

When the Government first announced it was planning industrial relations changes Labor set a very simple test: we would support the legislation if it delivered secure jobs with decent pay.

The Government’s legislation still fails that test.

Labor has always made it clear that while the BOOT change was the most egregious attack on job security and workers’ pay in the Government’s bill – it is certainly not the only one.

TUESDAY, 16 FEBRUARY 2021