LIBERALS LOCK-IN FLATLINING WAGES

RICHARD MARLES MP
DEPUTY LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY
SHADOW MINISTER FOR NATIONAL RECONSTRUCTION, EMPLOYMENT, SKILLS AND SMALL BUSINESS
SHADOW MINISTER FOR SCIENCE
MEMBER FOR CORIO

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

Today’s new ABS data confirms real wages have fallen 2.1 per cent over the last year – the biggest fall in real wages since 2001.

Wages were weak well before COVD-19, have remained weak during the pandemic, and the reward for Australians who have sacrificed so much to keep each other safe will be a further cut to their real wages in the years ahead.

Private sector wages grew by just 0.5 per cent and public sector wages grew by 0.4 per cent in the June quarter – and we saw the lowest annual growth in public sector wages since the series commenced in 1997.

More than half of Australia is in lockdown with workers and businesses paying the price for Scott Morrison’s failures on vaccines, quarantine and cutting JobKeeper.

The economy is bleeding hundreds of millions of dollars a day and billions each week because Scott Morrison hasn’t done his job.

Despite all of Morrison’s promises, we’re 18 months into the pandemic with a worsening economy and no plan for recovery.

Putting aside what the figures tell us today, when Australians can return to work, Scott Morrison has made sure they will have a cut to their wages.

In the Morrison Government’s own budget, wages will not keep pace with the cost of living.

When the cost of living is set to grow quicker than wages, families will be forced to make difficult decisions about what they must go without.

Only the Liberals can spend $100 billion and in the process lock-in a cut to wages.

After putting in the hard work to overcome COVID-19, Australians will bounce back only to realise they are working harder but can afford less.

WEDNESDAY, 18 AUGUST 2021