David backs five per cent minimum pay rise
Labor’s candidate for Indi, Nadia David, said she strongly supported opposition leader Anthony Albanese’s push for a five per cent increase to the minimum wage.
“This is a no-brainer. The least paid workers in our community are the ones doing it the hardest,” Ms David said.
“They are the cleaners, care workers and retail workers who kept turning up during the pandemic.
“Their wages have gone backwards over the past nine years and a five per cent bump to the minimum wage would bring them only to parity with inflation.”
Mr Albanese first backed a five per cent minimum wage rise last week when asked by journalists.
Since that time, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said businesses would not be able to afford it and it would have a negative impact on inflation.
“This is just fantasy from Mr Morrison,” Ms David said.
“Businesses are doing better than ever and making more profits and have more confidence in the economy.
“Business failure rates are the lowest they’ve been in decades.
“It’s time businesses shared a tiny portion of their profit with the workers who gave it to them.
“A five per cent increase to minimum wage is about a dollar per hour.
“It’s hardly the 400 per cent plus increase to the Prime Minister’s salary we’ve seen in the last 10 years.
“Executive salaries rose to record highs in 2021 while the lowest paid workers wages stagnated.
“How is that fair?”