Newly released research has backed up claims that the failure of Malcolm Turnbull and his government to protect penalty rates will hit locals hard.
According to the McKell Institute’s Unfair Burden report, the proposed changes will cost Lingiari workers as much as $8 million per year, with a significant chunk of that money being transferred straight into the pockets of cashed up executives and shareholders in Melbourne and Sydney.
“What the government has done by not attacking the penalty rates decision of the Fair Work Commission is that it has effectively said, ‘We don’t care about those people who will be affected.’”, Mr Snowdon said.
The government has ample opportunity to oppose these cuts, which will affect thousands of Territorians, including those who are struggling to make ends meet as it is.
“Malcolm Turnbull simply doesn’t understand what it is to have to scrape together every dollar to make ends meet. And he simply doesn’t care. The Turnbull Government are happy to give millionaires a tax cut whilst at the same time punishing workers and the low paid. Sunday and public holiday penalty rates are not just a luxury for many people, they are the difference between being able to afford a new pair of school shoes for the kids or an unexpected bill and not being able to,” Mr Snowdon said.
These changes will impact on regional Australians more than they will those living in the cities.
Malcolm Turnbull is always on the side of big business, and his record shows that he will always punish Australians who are not wealthy, such as the students and low paid workers who are most likely to be effected by a cut to penalty rates.