One Nation says its proposed ‘equal pay for equal work’ bill wouldn’t put a “burden” on small businesses

The new Labor government may have an unlikely ally in One Nation as it pushes for legislation enshrining equal pay between full-time staff and casual labour hire workers, as the minor party pushes for its own brand of pay equality.

But One Nation has confirmed its take on equal pay legislation won’t impact small businesses, who employ a huge proportion of Australia’s casual workers.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese targeted insecure work practices in the party’s 2022 election campaign, declaring Labor would fight to normalise pay rates between permanently employed workers and casual staffers.

“Unscrupulous” labour hire firms are able to make “a quick buck off the backs of working people, providing workers to major companies at lower wages than if the companies had hired them directly and therefore changing the competitive nature between companies within the one industry”, Albanese said in the election run-up.

As reported by The Australian Financial Review, the government’s pay push could eventually face support from One Nation, which on Tuesday highlighted its own ‘equal pay’ bill.

One Nation’s proposed ‘Equal Pay for Equal Work’ bill aims to end the “exploitation of casual workers”, Senator Malcolm Roberts said in July, and reiterated his point in the Upper House on Tuesday.

The proposed legislation would ensure casual labour hire workers are paid at the same rate, or better, than their full-time counterparts, Roberts said.

The party’s bill is designed to force companies which use labour hire firms to simply bring on more-full time staff, One Nation materials state.

One Nation’s position suggests Labor may be able to count on the party, on top of the Greens, when it attempts to legislate plans ensuring “workers employed through a labour hire company will not receive less pay than workers employed directly”.

However, One Nation’s bill is narrower in focus than Labor’s stated plans.

The party’s ‘Equal Pay for Equal Work’ bill hones in on awards workers in the black coal industry, along with air cabin crews, port workers, firefighters, and those employed in Australia’s nuclear industry.

Responding to media reports on his Tuesday speech, Roberts said: “The burden wouldn’t be placed on small business under the ON bill.”

One Nation’s statement of intent comes just weeks ahead of Labor’s Jobs and Skills Summit, billed as a major proving ground for future industrial relations legislation.