STATEMENT ON FINANCE UNDERPAYMENT OF ELECTORATE OFFICE STAFF

TONY BURKE MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
SHADOW MINISTER FOR THE ARTS
MANAGER OF OPPOSITION BUSINESS
MEMBER FOR WATSON

SENATOR DON FARRELL
SHADOW SPECIAL MINISTER OF STATE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR SPORT AND TOURISM
SHADOW MINISTER ASSISTING THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION
SENATOR FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIA


 

Underpayment of the lowest paid staff of federal parliamentarians is unacceptable.

Electorate office staff serve the Australian public and deal with issues that Australians seek help on from their local MPs on a daily basis.

They work hard to assist members of the public and deserve so much better than to be underpaid.

Reports that underpayments go back four years – to the start of the last enterprise agreement – are very concerning.

EOA levels 1 and 2 have been paid less than the award rate laid out in the Australian Government Industry Award 2016.

Many of the underpaid staff will have been employed casually and will have moved on to other employment. The Finance Department needs to guarantee that all former staff will be contacted and back-paid as soon as possible.

In December the Morrison Government was sent back to the negotiating table after staff resoundingly rejected the inadequate pay offer the Government tried to rush through, which could have delivered pay cuts over the life of the agreement.

The Morrison Government needs to put a sensible offer on the table and guarantee that the next Enterprise Agreement won’t result in the lowest paid staff of parliamentarians being underpaid again.

THURSDAY, 15 APRIL 2021