Andrew Bolt
Joining me is the Liberals’ workplace relations spokesman Michaelia Cash. Michaelia Cash, great to see you again. Labor’s argument is that giving unions more power, roping several businesses in the one union campaign – that’s a big change – is good, because that’s the way to get better pay rises for workers. Is that what it’s about? That you’re against pay rises?
Senator Cash
Absolutely not Andrew. We all want to see an increase in wages in Australia. But as you said in your opening, Andrew, it is incredibly rare, in fact, I don’t know if it’s been done before, when employers across Australia – big, medium, small, different industries, retail, hospitality, construction, transport, you know, the resources industry – they sing with one voice, and they say to Labor, we want to see higher wages, but your legislation will not deliver that. All your legislation will do is tip the balance in favor of the bigger guys and it will lead potentially to more strikes and job losses. What amazes me though, Andrew, is this: Mr. Albanese and Mr. Burke, they just dismiss the employers and say they don’t know what they’re talking about. The last time I checked, it is the employers in this country who are the job creators. Governments put in place frameworks, employers create jobs. And when the employers across Australia are saying, this Bill will do nothing to increase wages, in fact, what it will do is increase inflation, increase interest rates, increase strikes, which will ultimately result in job losses, you’d think, Andrew, the Government might spend just five minutes listening to them.
Andrew Bolt
Michaelia Cash, can I just get you to tease out how this is supposed to go wrong. So you mentioned the fear really is among small business, right? So you get a wage claim against a big business, they rope in smaller ones that don’t have the resources, and then the deal that they somehow make, whether it’s perhaps, I don’t know, a collective vote of all the employees, that applies even to the small businesses, even if they can’t afford it. Is that how it works?
Senator Cash
That is exactly right. And I have to say, John Setka, who as you also know, in this bill, is about to be handed back to him the building and construction industry in Australia with the abolition of the Australian Building and Construction Commission. You know the Australian reported he wrote to his members, and at least he was honest, because he said, this legislation will allow us to go after non union sites. And that is what this is all about: getting unions into businesses that quite frankly don’t want anything to do with them. And you are right. So a smaller employer is able to, with the vote of its employees, be forced to bargain with much bigger employers, you’ll then get a one size fits all agreement. Now the last time I checked, Andrew, one size fits all does not fit businesses around Australia, and smaller businesses who do not have the capacity or the resources to actually a) be part of the process, b) get the legal advice and c) ultimately pay the wages, what’s going to happen to them? Andrew, I see what the Minister for Small Business said today. She’s clearly not talking to small businesses, because every small business I have spoken to has said this is the last thing that they need. They are already struggling – rising inflation, rising interest rates, rising power prices, the cost of living and on top of that, they may well now have to get to know their local union official and be forced into bargaining with a one size fits all policy being imposed on them. I find it interesting though, Andrew, because unions are unashamedly pro Labor and Labor obviously take donations from the union movement. I understand that relationship. But employers will normally work with whoever is in government quite genuinely. They went to the Jobs and Skills Summit, quite genuinely and so for Mr. Albanese to turn – they were forced to go, I do agree.
Andrew Bolt
The COSBOA woman, remember her?
Senator Cash
I know, I know, I know.
Andrew Bolt
Have a hug with Sally McManus, the ACTU.
Senator Cash
And look where it’s now landed them. Great to be with you Andrew.
Andrew Bolt
Dine with a wolf and count your hands when you leave the door. Michaelia Cash, thank you so much for your time. Really appreciate it.
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