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It’s been a rough week for Gilmore MP Ann Sudmalis.
The MP’s comments to the Mercury – well, two words in particular – had her under attack from Labor.
Ms Sudmalis’ description that cuts to Sunday and public holiday penalty rates were “a gift” for young people spread from the pages of this newspaper to the halls of Parliament and across social media like wild fire.
It was always going to happen. Ms Sudmalis knew what she wanted to say, she just didn’t convey it well.
Despite being used in the broader context of job opportunities for young workers, those two words struck nerves. And rightly so – any reduction in a low-paid worker’s pay is a cut.
A gift is a present or something that is given, not something that is taken away.
As a result, Ms Sudmalis’ comment was the gift that kept on giving – particularly for the Opposition, who used it as ammunition for two days of relentless attacks.
The attacks overshadowed the good news of the week – the latest GDP figures showing Australia had avoided a technical recession – and also had the Turnbull government in damage control.
While the focus was certainly on Ms Sudmalis, she wasn’t the only Liberal MP who came under fire.
The MP for the Queensland seat of Forde, Bert van Manen, used a Facebook post (linking to a local news story about how businesses welcomed the cuts) to say: “It’s important to note people working on Sundays will still have a higher rate than Saturday, the reductions are minor”. Understandably, the MP copped social-media backlash over his “reductions are minor” comment, later changing the post to say “the reductions will still result in a higher rate than Saturday”.
Unfortunately for Mr van Manen, Facebook has a “show edit history” option.
The government will, no doubt, hope this weekend acts a circuit-breaker to the week’s events. However, low-paid workers won’t forget Ms Sudmalis’ words in a hurry.
Parliament sits again on March 20. The two-week break is a somewhat timely breather for Ms Sudmalis.
Pay cut is no gift for worker
For the first time in many years Ben Lee won’t be working on his daughter’s birthday – but it comes at a cost.
The Nowra man has been working in the hospitality and security industry for more than 16 years. His wife also works in hospitality and the pair has previously worked on Boxing Day, their young daughter’s birthday.
With the Fair Work Commission recently announcing that penalty rates will be reduced from July, Mr Lee said the new pay rate won’t be worth the loss.
“We’ve both worked our daughter’s birthday every year since she was born for $50 an hour and she understands we have to,” he said.
“We certainly won’t be now though, we’d much rather be at home with the family and enjoying ourselves.”
Under the changes, hospitality workers will face a reduction in Sunday pay from 175 per cent to 150 per cent. Casual hospitality workers' pay will remain unchanged.
Like many families, Mr Lee said their household often gets by week-to-week and the changes in penalty rates will affect them significantly.
“We rely on that extra money over Christmas and New Year to pay our car registration so that’s going to hit us hard,” he said.
Mr Lee said while he understands the hospitality and retail industry isn’t a 9-5 gig, penalty rates have made the loss of weekends or time with family easier to bear.
While more shops may be open on Sundays, he doesn’t believe the move will positively affect the region – or add jobs, despite Gilmore MP Ann Sudmalis this week labeling the cuts “a gift” for young job seekers. Mr Lee said Ms Sudmalis’ comments reflect a different reality to what he’s living: “It’s no gift”.