With the Prime Minister finally setting a date for the election, working people have an opportunity to end nearly a decade of inaction on stalled wage growth and spiralling insecure work which has resulted in a cost-of-living crisis.

The Morrison Government has looked on while low wage growth and insecure work have stripped pay and conditions from millions of Australian workers and has gone missing when faced with opportunities to address them.

The legacy of this Government can be seen in record numbers of Australians who are currently forced to work more than one job. The hardship experienced by the third of working people who have had to endure a pandemic with no sick leave thanks to insecure work and wages not keeping up with the rising cost of living.

Quotes attributable to ACTU Secretary Sally McManus:

“Working people have had enough of a Prime Minister that is never there in a crisis.

“Living standards and wages are going backwards after nearly a decade of neglecting and attacking workers’ rights. We need a government who will step up and fix the insecure work crisis which has left one in three workers without basic rights and reliable incomes.

“Unfortunately, Scott Morrison does not think it is his job to ensure our wages and living standards are not going backwards. On his watch the average worker suffered a $800 real wage cut. We are heading for more wage cuts and more casualisation if we do not change direction.

“Australian workers deserve a government that works tirelessly to improve their lives, lift their wages, and improve their job security. Scott Morrison has demonstrated he will never lead such a government.”