PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER: Great to have parliament back. What we have this week is, we know that the Fair Work Commission at 10 o'clock today, will be making a decision, in handing down its decision about a wage increase. Now when it comes to wage increases, since we were elected, Labor has always backed wage increases for those on the minimum wage and wage increases for working Australians. We remember the dollar from back in 2022, where Labor backed a wage increase and the Liberal Party opposed it. And I think what we've seen on the weekend was, of course, the Liberal Party's mates and their new 'No-alition' with the Liberal Party, National Party, and One Nation, is that new 'No-alition' are again saying no to wage increases. We have even seen Senator Hanson open the door to a return-to-work choices. Where it's easier to sack workers and drag their wages down. Now, when it comes to Labor, we'll always back a wage increase for working Australians, and we'll always back tax cuts for working Australians too. That is the debate in the Parliament this week. We want to see the legislation to give tax cuts for working Australians move through this Parliament as soon as possible. Because it's good for workers and it means that Australians will have more money in their pockets.
EMMA COMER, MEMBER FOR PETRIE: Well, it might be cold in Canberra, but it's heating up in Petrie. We've got 379 new social and affordable housing homes coming underway. We've got 82 already built in Redcliffe, more coming into Deception Bay, more coming in Carseldine and Margate and more in Redcliffe as well. This is part of a bigger program, I'll be pushing for more, the work is not done. And I'm also really proud of the Government - to be part of the Government that has delivered a 50 per cent increase in rent assistance. As someone - I've lived paycheck to paycheck, and I know how beneficial that rent assistance is. So I'm really proud that we've been able to deliver that for the community. We've got over about 15,000 residents receiving rent assistance, so this is going to make a big impact. And we've also seen just over 1,200 residents be able to get their foot in their own door with a 5 per cent deposit, and so we've got people buying their own homes, getting supported for renting, providing more social and affordable homes, so we're doing some great things. Including the Southeast - the Queensland deal with the Queensland Government. We've got 51,000 new homes being built across Queensland, 20,000 of them dedicated for first home buyers, and Moreton Bay has been singled out. We're going to be receiving some of those homes, so this is some great news coming. We've got plenty more work to do, and I won't stop.
JOURNALIST: The range of potential pay rises today for minimum wage workers. There's a big difference between what business and what unions are calling for. Are you suggesting that unions are right to be calling for roughly double what business wants?
GORMAN: I back the Australian Government's submission, which was for a sustainable real wage increase. That means that workers don't go backwards, but that the Fair Work Commission - as they do every year - will consider all those submissions, and we respect the independence of the Fair Work Commission in making that decision. We put in our submission for a sustainable real wage increase, because we want to see Australian workers get a pay rise. And that's the difference. I come to this place - Emma comes to this place every week - wanting to back Australian workers to be able to get a fair day's pay for a fair day's work. That's not the case when it comes to the Coalition or their new mates in One Nation.
JOURNALIST: The Treasurer apparently has under the legislation to pass the new tax changes of the Budget, nine areas where he can exercise flexibility after the legislation passes through this place. Does he really need that much post legislation flexibility in this case, or are we being taken for a roll on this?
GORMAN: It is common that you'll have disallowable instruments that are subject to the scrutiny of the Parliament. That's the standard aspect of legislation -
JOURNALIST: Is that what we're talking about here?
GORMAN: There is a range of disallowable instruments, that's normal process. Of course having - the Treasury portfolio have a range of powers to make sure that you can administer the laws that the Parliament passes. That is also appropriate. But what - the reason we want to get these laws through is we want to get those tax cuts for working people into their pockets, and there are some people in this Parliament who will walk past these doors this morning who will go into the Parliament and argue against tax cuts for working people.