The Labor Government’s rebalancing of tax cuts will see low-paid workers receive cost-of-living relief from 1 July, as legislation passed the Senate last night.
Statement attributable to Tim Kennedy, United Workers Union National Secretary:
“The need for these tax cuts among low-paid workers, often earning just above minimum wage, was unquestionable.
“In a cost-of-living crisis, it’s not the high-income earners who are suffering. The people who are most affected are the essential workers who work in aged care, early childhood education, security, cleaning, logistics centres and dozens of other low-paid industries.
“No one could stand between hard-working essential workers and the cost-of-living relief they so desperately needed.
“The business community’s vocal defence of the rights of Australia’s top 14 per cent income earners to billions of dollars in tax cuts failed. These were the same businesses that deliberately kept workers’ wages low as inflation raged.
“Right now workers who are the backbone of our communities are finding it hard to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. With these changes, the vast bulk of our members stand to be $804 better off. For some of our members, it will mean getting them over the line on their bills, and rent, for others the difference between seeking medical treatment or not.
“We welcome the Labor Government addressing the massive inequalities in the Coalition’s plan.”