160,000 Queenslanders facing severe new penalty rate cuts starting Sunday
Turnbull can still stop severe penalty rate cuts
More than 160,000 Queenslanders working in the retail, accommodation and food service industries are facing severe new penalty rate cuts from this Sunday (1 July).Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace has called on the Prime Minister to get behind hardworking Australians and protect penalty rates for low-paid workers.
“Hardworking Queenslanders in our vital hospitality and retail sectors are once again facing harsh cuts to their take-home pay, with the next round of penalty rates set to kick in from this Sunday,” Ms Grace said.
“This year’s penalty rate cuts will be between 10-15%, on top of the 5% cuts from last year.
“We know that many of these low-paid workers often rely on Sunday and public holiday rates to make ends meet and to provide some compensation for missing out on family time on weekends.
“But thanks to the Turnbull Government they’re now staring down the barrel of even more penalty rate cuts.
“By the end of 2019-20, the total penalty rate cuts for these workers will be between 25-50%.
“And make no mistake, this is money that will be ripped out of local and regional Queensland economies.”
Ms Grace said more than 160,000 Queenslanders currently work on Sundays and rely on penalty rates.
“That equates to more than 7,500 Cairns workers, 8,200 in Wide Bay and 13,200 on the Sunshine Coast – just to name a few of the regions which will be affected,” she said.
“Federal Labor has recently introduced a private member’s bill to restore and protect penalty rates for around 700,000 low paid Australian workers affected by the cuts.
“Malcolm Turnbull still has an opportunity to do the right thing here by supporting Labor’s bill – these cuts can be stopped.
“We know he refused to support a similar bill to protect penalty rates last year – he now has a second chance to redeem himself.
“These cuts will devastate family budgets and reduce spending on local goods and services – affecting the very businesses the cuts are purported to benefit.
“At a time when wages growth is at record lows, low paid workers need a pay rise, not a pay cut.
“The LNP in Queensland also needs to come clean on where they stand – will they get their mates in Canberra to fix this or will they just stand by as another round of penalty rate cuts destroys regional communities.”
Attribution: Minister for Education and Minister for Industrial Relations
The Honourable Grace Grace
Queensland Government