Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged to legally safeguard penalty rates if re-elected, emphasizing the importance of workers' rights amid proposed changes by employer groups.
In a move that says, “we remember who actually works weekends,” Anthony Albanese has pledged to enshrine penalty rates in law if Labor wins re-election. Because nothing screams political momentum like dusting off a battle from 2017 and giving it a fresh coat of spin. The PM took a break from handshake tours to declare that, under Labor, penalty rates won’t just be protected—they’ll be legislated.
That’s right, not even employers with creative spreadsheets and sneaky “pay rise swaps” will be able to wriggle out. This comes after several big industry players—including banking and retail sectors—tried to offer pay bumps in exchange for scrapping penalties and allowances. Translation: “Let us ‘give’ you more money while stealthily giving you less.” And while Labor’s staging a grand defence of the working class, the Coalition is calling it a “political stunt.” Peter Dutton, ever the cheerleader for employer flexibility (read: cost-cutting), says we should leave it to the Fair Work Commission.
Because who doesn’t love 3-year bureaucratic delays when your Sunday shift gets slashed? With over three million Australians on modern awards, this isn’t some niche workplace drama—it’s a full-blown wage war. Labor’s hoping to rally the troops, while the Libs are still googling “what is penalty rate?” in incognito mode.
Sources: The Guardian Australia, April 19, 2025
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