Scott Morrison urges Bill Shorten to come clean on living wage

Scott Morrison has slammed the Opposition Leader’s proposal to change laws to bolster the minimum wage.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has urged Bill Shorten to ‘come clean’ over his plan to implement a living wage. Picture: AAP

Scott Morrison has accused Bill Shorten of engaging in the “politics of envy” as he slammed a proposal to change laws to bolster the minimum wage.

The Prime Minister urged the Opposition Leader to “come clean” over his plan to implement a living wage, after the Labor leader flagged the potential for amending the Fair Work Act under a Shorten government.

“What it sounds like to me at the moment is he is going to force small and family businesses all around the country to sack people in order to give some others a few more dollars,” Mr Morrison said.

“I don’t think Australians want to see their co-workers sacked for them to do better. But that is Bill Shorten’s plan for Australia. To set one Australian against anther. He is engaged in this war of envy on Australians.”

Mr Morrison said higher wages come from a strong economy rather than government intervention.

“I tell you where stronger wages come from: they come from a stronger economy. Where businesses are growing and they can employ more people, and they earn more money, and they are able to pass on wage increase.

“That is how you grow wages in this country. You don’t grow wages by increasing taxes. You don’t grow wages by suffocating your economy. And you don’t grow wages, as small businesses have said plainly, by forcing small businesses to sack some workers to pay others more.”