E&OE
Andrew Clennell
Well let’s go live now in the wake of the Jobs Summit to Michaelia Cash, the Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Michaelia Cash, thank you for joining us. Let’s start with the proposal to reform the Better Off Overall Test, but also to introduce multi employer bargaining. What’s your reaction to this?
Senator Cash
Well, it’s very clear Andrew that the big winners coming out of the two day talk fest with the union movement were the Australian union movement. And without a doubt, the Labor Party under Anthony Albanese are paying their paymasters in full. I think it is very disappointing that what Australians can now see is the very sensible and modest changes proposed over 18 months ago by the former Coalition Government to the BOOT Test, which would have helped employers to negotiate with their employees, get that higher productivity, drive those higher wages, were completely, totally and utterly opposed by the Australian Labor Party at the time. But apparently now, it’s okay. In relation to the move to industry wide bargaining, this is why the outcome of the summit is a total, complete and utter win for the union movement in Australia. This is what they have been asking for now for years and years and years. Even the former Rudd and Gillard Governments refused to deliver on this, but Mr. Albanese is paying his paymaster in full, but at the expense, Andrew, as you and I know, of the Australian people, the Australian economy, at the expense of productivity. And the only way you get higher wages in Australia, is if you can increase your productivity as an employer. But Mr. Albanese has made it clear. He puts the interests of the union movement above the interests of the Australian people.
Andrew Clennell
Okay, well what about the support of the Council of Small Business Organisations for the proposal say?
Senator Cash
Well, I see that the Council of Small Business Associations, or COSBOA as they are known, they did make a clarification statement. So I’m very pleased to see that. But let me be very clear, I will stand by, as will Peter Dutton, every single small business in this country, and we will ensure that they are never roped into a deal they do not want to be part of. I do believe that it does need to be made a criminal offense for any person to in any way intimidate, bully, or harass a small business into negotiating an agreement they don’t want to negotiate. The last thing small businesses in this country want is a union thug turning up on their doorstep, and pressuring them into doing something they don’t want to do. So let me be very, very clear. Peter Dutton and the Coalition, we will fight this every step of the way if required.
Andrew Clennell
Would you like to see if this legislation comes into effect, at the very least, strikes not able to occur because of multi employer bargaining in the context of that?
Senator Cash
That’s the whole point, Andrew. At this present point in time, you would be aware, that the Fair Work Act does allow multi employer bargaining. But that’s just it, you do not take strike action. So the only change in the legislation can be to empower the unions and allow the strike action to be lawful. So if Labor are dinkum about saying, “It’s not about the Australian union movement, it is about consensus”, well Mr. Burke and Mr. Albanese could stand up this afternoon and be very clear. “Our legislation will ensure that strike action is not able to be taken”. But can you honestly imagine that conversation with Sally McManus and the ACTU. And this is why when you look at what were the outcomes of the union fest, the fact that they had 25% representation, the fact that Labor are well and truly delivering on their one agenda item that they have been looking for for years and years and years now. The fact that you have both the Treasurer and the Assistant Treasurer, basically saying that, “Yes, strike action. It’s an inherent part of the bargaining process”. In fact, the Assistant Treasurer was always proud of strike action. The only thing strike action does is lower productivity, it ensures that you’re not going to get higher wages, and I have to say, when you live as part of a global economy, and in particular one coming out of COVID-19, you don’t put the interests of the Australian union movement first, you put the interests of the Australian people first. But that takes guts, and Mr. Albanese doesn’t have them.
Andrew Clennell
Well what sort of wage rises would you like to see Australians get in the current inflationary environment?
Senator Cash
Well, again, this is something that Mr. Albanese said he would deliver. And when you go down the path of saying to the Australian people prior to the election, if you elect me, he’ll do a number of things. One was to lower, as you and I have discussed, the electricity prices by $275 a year. They’ve walked away from that one. One was to tackle inflation. Well, inflation is currently winning under Mr. Albanese. And the other one was to deliver higher wages. But then you have an outcome of a two day talk fest with the unions, where you proudly stand up and say, “We will now legislate for industry wide bargaining”, which has the potential, that has been noted not just by businesses, Andrew, but by commentator, after commentator after commentator that this will have the potential to take us back to the dark ages, to close down parts of the economy. If Mr Albanese is dinkum about delivering higher wages, then what he announced recently is not the way to do it.
Andrew Clennell
I’ve just got a couple of other issues I want to talk to you about. What do you make of the decision to lift the migration rate?
Senator Cash
Well, again, there were two things that came out of the Summit that I think should have been done 100 days ago. The first was obviously the adoption of Peter Dutton’s policy to allow veterans and pensioners to work the extra day per week. Employers had been screaming for that. And what do we get from Mr. Albanese after the Summit? A very strange half-bake attempt to go halfway towards realizing what Peter Dutton had put on the table. So again, a dismal failure and a great disappointment to businesses. But also it didn’t take a summit to tell you that we do need more workers in Australia. We have a massive skill shortage in Australia.
Andrew Clennell
Do support the 195,000?
Senator Cash
Well, the devil is always in the detail with Labor. Let me tell you what I don’t support. I don’t support these people being given a union induction at the border and potentially union membership. So with Labor, Andrew, as you and I know, the devil will always be in the detail. What we have at the moment is an announcement that has been welcomed. However, let’s now wait and see whether or not they deliver on the union’s demands for union induction at the border and potentially union membership. The devil is always in the detail with Mr. Albanese and the Labor Government.
Andrew Clennell
Alright, I wanted to ask you about this letter that Tony Burke has written encouraging the Fair Work Commission not to listen to employers’ request to cancel enterprise bargaining agreements. Now Tony Burke denies this has to do with the New South Whales rail dispute. The New South Whales IR Minister has no doubt it’s to do with the New South Whales rail dispute. What’s your view?
Senator Cash
Andrew, this is without a doubt one of the most concerning things I have seen in the first 100 days of Mr. Albanese’s Government. For a Minister in the Government to write to the independent Fair Work Commission and seek to influence them in how they make decisions, that should deeply concern all Australians. The role of a tribunal, the role of a court, is to interpret the law as it stands, not as Mr. Burke and Mr. Albanese would like it to be. I’m also very concerned that in doing this, they’re actually pre-empting the Australian Senate. The Australian Senate itself may not agree to this alleged change. So I think some very serious questions arise, in particular, in relation to integrity. And I actually believe Mr. Dreyfus, as the Attorney-General of Australia should come out and say, whether or not under the Albanese Government this is an appropriate course of action for a Minister to seek to openly influence an independent tribunal in its deliberations. Is this the appropriate course of action? And is this just going to be the hallmark of the Albanese Government. So, Andrew, very, very concerning. And I think the fact that the relevant union has come out totally emboldened by this, and in particular following the Jobs Summit, clearly yet again just shows Australians this summit was nothing more than a talk fest. And it is now literally a summit that is delivering on the agenda of the Australian union movement. The Albanese government, the Labor Party of Australia are paying their paymasters, that’s it.
Andrew Clennell
Just finally, Michaelia Cash, you were pretty strong in your comments earlier in the week concerning this apparent breach of the Ministerial Code of Conduct by three Ministers having shares. Could this have been an oversight or accident on their part? Do you think this breach is worthy of sacking as opposed to say a warning? What do you make of the Government’s reaction to it?
Senator Cash
Well, I think the Government’s reaction shows that they are all talk when it comes to integrity and transparency. There was a lot of fanfare by Mr. Albanese when he launched the new Ministerial Code of Conduct. The fact of the matter is, it is very clear, a breach, Andrew, has occurred. What does Mr Albanese do? He comes out, and he says he has no concerns. Well, that should worry the Australian people. Because the code is very, very clear. A breach has occurred, it doesn’t matter now that they’re trying to rid themselves of the shares. Or in Ms McBain’s case, she transferred them to her husband, which in itself is a breach of the Ministerial Code. So quite frankly, if Mr. Albanese wants to be taken seriously when it comes to integrity, transparency and his Ministerial Code of Conduct, then he really does need to stand up today and properly address this matter. Because to date, all we’ve seen from him is a total failure in terms of his leadership.
Andrew Clennell
Michaelia Cash, thanks so much for your time.
Senator Cash
Great to be with you.
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