Opposition Leader Peter Dutton will oppose Labor’s plan to strip the Fair Work Commission of the power to cut penalty rates, calling it a “stunt” as he insisted his standing among voters was not as bad as some opinion polls suggest.

Minister for Employment Murray Watt on Saturday announced that a re-elected Labor government will legislate to protect existing penalty rates in awards, which would effectively scuttle recent applications by employer groups across the retail, clerical and banking sectors to reduce entitlements for some workers in exchange for higher pay.