Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Senator for Western Australia
MEDIA RELEASE
30 MAY 2023
CONTRACTORS USED ON SAME JOB SAME PAY BILL
Labor Minister Tony Burke’s department is using short term contractors to help formulate its so-called Same Job Same Pay legislation which the Minister claims will crackdown on the use of labour hire companies and make workers jobs more secure.
When questioned by Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Senator Michaelia Cash today during Senate Estimates hearings the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations revealed that at least six contractors are working on the legislation.
Department Secretary Natalie James earlier confirmed that the Department used labour hire companies to employ contractors but took on notice a question if these contractors were employed through labour hire.
Ms James said the Department used contractors for “surge capacity”.
“The irony of what the Department is doing is gobsmacking,’’ Senator Cash said.
“The very Bill this Minister is lauding as cleaning up labour hire arrangements and making workers jobs more secure is being formulated by contractors,’’ Senator Cash said.
“Why isn’t Minister Burke demanding that his own Department lives by what he is espousing – especially on the Bill he wants to bring to the Parliament,’’ she said.
“This is just another example of the outrageous hypocrisy of this Government. They say one thing but act completely differently in practice,’’ Senator Cash said.
ENDS
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