Wage theft Senate inquiry ‘a Labor-backed talkfest’

a Labor-backed Senate inquiry into wage theft has been ridiculed by the Attorney-General.

Attorney-General Christian Porter. Picture: AAP

Attorney-General Christian Porter has branded a Labor-backed Senate inquiry into wage theft as a “seven-month talkfest”.

The Senate’s Economics References Committee will examine the “reasons for wage theft” and the cost to the national economy, with a reporting date of June next year.

The inquiry will examine the extent and amount of unlawful underpayment of workers by employers and whether companies regard wage and superannuation theft as the “cost of doing business”.

Major companies will be invited to make submissions to the inquiry but Labor said their senior executives would not be compelled to appear before the committee.

Mr Porter, who is also the Industrial Relations Minister, said on Thursday the government would “not let Labor’s grandstanding delay the introduction of stronger safeguards and protections of employees’ hard earned wages”.

“While Labor Senators are busy congratulating themselves on setting up a seven-month talk-fest, the government will continue to take strong action,’’ he said.

Mr Porter said the government was finalising a draft bill proposing the criminalisation of “serious and blatant cases” wage theft.

It would shortly release a second discussion paper proposing sanctions against directors of companies that underpay staff and a new claims process for underpaid workers in the Fair Work Commission.

“This work will absolutely continue and given its importance, will not be delayed whilst Labor engages in a political exercise in the Senate,” he said.

“I’m surprised that Anthony Albanese and Labor’s desire to ‘hasten slowly’ also applies to taking action on underpayment of wages and entitlements.”