Australian news and politics live: Plibersek rejects longer work hours, advocates tech for productivity growth
Despite Labor's soaring Newspoll numbers and a commanding majority, Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek says the government's focus is on keeping promises, without slipping into overconfidence.
'Well, the Prime Minister's made it very clear that we are there to deliver what we promised the Australian people, and that's our 100 per cent focus… Our first pieces of legislation will be reducing student debt, making sure childcare centres have higher standards and protecting penalty rates,' she said on Sunrise.
Ms Plibersek pushed back on Mr Joyce's suggestion that politics should be more combative, arguing,
'I think the Australian people are a bit tired of that sort of fighting politics… Actually getting on board and working together for the Australian people is what is important.'
Australia's new Parliament opens as Labor celebrates a super-sized majority, but the Coalition confronts its lowest primary vote in four decades, according to today's Newspoll.
Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce didn't downplay the challenge:
'They are brutal numbers. I think the first thing you do is you be honest about them… Any person in a lower House seat, wherever it is, Watson, Farrer, New England. If you had a 3 in front of your primary vote, you would be very, very worried,' he said while speaking on Sunrise on Monday morning.
With Labor enjoying a strong majority, Mr Joyce called for the Coalition to 'find issues which are binary, which you are fully for, and the Labor Party is fully against,' warning that blurry lines and 'nuances' won't revive their fortunes.
Unions representing workers in manufacturing, nursing, and midwifery are urging the Prime Minister to focus on implementing shorter working weeks and increased leave, arguing that reduced hours are essential for improving work-life balance.
Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek has been asked if the government will consider a four-day work week.
'We'll listen to all respectfully. And the Treasurer's round table on productivity I think is a great way of bringing unions and business and other groups together to discuss how we make our economy stronger and more productive,' she told Sunrise.
'What we won't be doing to improve productivity is ask people to work longer for less. That was the policy of the previous government.
'We want to invest in our people, boost training, invest in technologies and new ways of working, make sure that we're playing to our competitive advantages as a nation. That's how we boost productivity.'
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