Southern Metropolitan Region
Ryan BATCHELOR (Southern Metropolitan) (12:44): (99) My constituency question is to the Minister for Employment. Minister, how many Victorians working in casual or insecure jobs have applied for the sick pay guarantee in the Southern Metropolitan Region? A year ago, on Labour Day 2022, the Andrews Labor government introduced Australia’s first paid sick and carers leave for casual Victorian workers, providing vulnerable Victorians the dignity to not have to choose between the safety of their workmates and feeding their family. In its first year the nation-leading $245 million scheme paid more than 1 million hours of sick and carers pay to casual and contract workers. Before coming to this place I completed a research paper – of course I did – which looked at the prevalence of insecure work and the weaknesses it causes in our community, including the spread of disease.
A member interjected.
Ryan BATCHELOR: Four days. The research synthesised international evidence showing that paid and sick carer leave schemes are a solution not only to protecting workers but to keeping the community safe and strong.