Greens Deputy Leader and Employment and Workplace Relations spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today called on Prime Minister Tony Abbott to rule out changes to penalty rates and the minimum wage after Small Business Minister Bruce Billson backed a review of penalty rates over Easter.
“Time and again, we hear Senior Ministers send different messages,” Mr Bandt said.
“The Employment Minister says he’s ‘surprised’ the Productivity Commission is reviewing penalty rates but the Small Business Minister now backs the growing attack.”
“The Prime Minister must now lead his government and Ministers by unequivocally ruling out making any changes to penalty rates and the minimum wage.”
“Penalty rates have been around for 100 years and compensate people for working unsociable hours that the majority of Australians have free.”
Earlier this year, the Senate called on the government to remove reviewing penalty rates and the minimum wage from the Productivity Commission’s workplace relations inquiry, which the government has yet to act on.
Media contact: Adam Pulford, 0429 109 054
