John,
Welcome to Labor’s Senate Select(ions) - a wrap of the latest developments from the Senate.
The final sitting fortnight of year came with a sting in the tail as the Morrison Government introduced legislation which uses the pandemic as cover to strip away protections at work and cut pay.
SCOTT MORRISON’S ATTACK ON WAGES AND CONDITIONS
This week the Morrison Government delivered an unwanted Christmas gift to hardworking Australians – with new industrial relations legislation introduced to the Parliament.
Scott Morrison is trying to turn a protection that makes all workers better off into an attack that could leave
all workers worse off.
Labor set a really simple test – we said we would support
the IR changes if they delivered secure jobs with decent pay. This bill fails that test.
The bill also fails to fix the problems of insecure work – one of the reasons why Labor has initiated the Senate Select Committee on Job Security.
The pandemic has highlighted the growing number of Australians who lack secure work, are forced to juggle multiple jobs and are often denied basic protections like minimum wages, sick leave, access to superannuation or workers compensation.
We’ve also initiated an inquiry into the impact the pandemic on aviation.
It’s an essential industry in Australia but instead of developing a plan to see it through this downturn, the Morrison Government has denied support to airports, denied JobKeeper to Dnata workers, allowed Virgin Australia to fall into administration and failed to act as Qantas sacked thousands of workers.
PLANS FOR CRUEL CASHLESS DEBIT CARD CURBED
Labor fought every step of the way as the Government tried to ram through its plans to make the Cashless Debit Card permanent at four sites in Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland.
This Government has consistently failed to prove this system works - and it is refusing to release a $2.5 million evaluation by the University of Adelaide.
This card caused significant hardship on people in the trial - many have been prevented from purchasing basics and essentials at affordable prices. It’s also structurally racist – with two thirds of participants being First Nations Australians.
In the end, a watered-down version of the legislation passed the Senate after the Government cut a deal with Centre
Alliance senator, Stirling Griff.
We’ll keep fighting. The Government has refused to rule out extending the card to new areas and more people.
NT’S TWO SEATS SAVED
In a win for our campaign led by Labor’s Territory champions Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, Warren Snowdon, and Luke Gosling, legislation to protect two seats for NT has passed Parliament.
And Senator Don Farrell played a critical role as Shadow Special Minister of State, ensuring some of our most remote and under-represented communities did not lose their voice in our nation's capital.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ROBODEBT AND ITS TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES?
After the costliest settlement by an Australian Government, there were serious questions to answer about the fairness and legality of the Robodebt scheme, which left a trail of carnage across the nation resulting in anxiety, poverty and even suicides.
Labor used the last sitting fortnight to call on the Prime Minister to explain what the consequences will be for Ministers including Alan Tudge and Government Services Minister Stuart Robert for their involvement in the single greatest social security scandal in this nation’s history, and the subsequent cover-up.
Jess Walsh sums it up:
LABOR PUSHES FOR ACTION ACT ON RIGHT-WING EXTREMIST THREAT
Right-wing extremism in Australia is real and the threat is growing. That’s why Labor wrote to the Government to propose a joint referral on extremism, including far-right extremism, to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security.
We welcome the Government’s bipartisanship on what will be the first in-depth examination of the issue in Australia.
SENATE COVID COMMITTEE TABLES INTERIM REPORT
The Senate COVID Committee has held 37 public hearings, many hundreds of hours of evidence has been heard from ministers, government officials, experts and individuals affected by the pandemic.
This week Chair of the Committee Senator Katy Gallagher released the first interim report which found that the Morrison Governments response was too slow and is leaving too many people behind.
Senators Katy Gallagher, Kristina Keneally and Murray Watt will continue to hold Scott Morrison and his Government to account as the committee continues in 2021.
This has been a tough year - a year defined by tragedy, loss and grief for too many of our fellow Australians.
I want to end our final update for the year with a thank you to all of the essential workers who have sacrificed their safety - to care for others, to keep us all safe and to keep our country moving.
Senator Polley paid a special tribute to the tireless aged care workers, who look after some of the most vulnerable Australians.
Wishing you all a safe and happy Christmas.
We look forward to 2021 and the opportunities it will bring to rebuild as a stronger and fairer Australia.
Senator Penny Wong
Labor Senate Leader
Australian Labor Party
Authorised by P. Erickson, ALP, Canberra.
Unsubscribe