Michele O'Neil | Politician
Michele O'Neil
Phone: +61 1300 486 466
Reviews
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24.01.2022 Thinking of South Australian comrades today. Lockdown is so hard, but speaking as a Melbournian we know it works. You’re doing something really important staying home and staying away from people and places you love to keep us all safe. Thank you and solidarity to you all. Also thinking about some of the lessons learned from this pandemic - or rather, the lessons we just haven’t learned yet. ... Insecure work is a plague in itself, it leaves working people at the whim of an employer who without hesitation will sack people when times are tough, no warning, no compensation, no consultation. Job gone overnight. Or hours cut, shifts cut, wages cut. Plunging people into poverty. Low wages and insecure work are also health hazards. When people have to work multiple jobs to get by, they are at more risk of contracting the virus and run the risk of spreading the virus between multiple workplaces. When people don’t have sick leave, and are worried about losing pay or their job they might feel like they’ve got no choice but to go to work while sick. We saw this in Victoria, we’re seeing it again now in South Australia how many more time do we have to see it before we say enough is enough? Working people need secure, permanent, well-paid jobs. Give people enough pay and hours to live on every week, and everyone benefits. Working people, our communities, the economy and all our health depends on it.
24.01.2022 All cuts, no plan.
24.01.2022 The very best way to deliver skills and quality training is to boost funding in public TAFE. No value in supporting dodgy private providers who are only after profit.
22.01.2022 The Government are escalating their attacks on our retirement savings. They’re threatening to freeze the legislated increase in the superannuation guarantee, and their early access to super scheme has left 600,000 Australians with empty super accounts. The union movement fought hard to win superannuation for workers. ... You can bet we’re going to fight hard to protect it. It’s time to organise. Join us tomorrow for this emergency summit to discuss the future of superannuation.
22.01.2022 This is a disgrace.
22.01.2022 Who on earth would cut pandemic support during a pandemic?
21.01.2022 Just five days now until the Government cuts JobKeeper. Millions of Australians just like Matt will have their support slashed to below minimum wage. And still the Government has no plan to give workers certainty, no plan for jobs, no plan to rebuild our economy.
21.01.2022 We need leadership.
21.01.2022 What better way to kick off Budget week in Canberra than rallying alongside aged care workers and proud HSU members. These workers know better than anyone that quality aged care comes from quality jobs in aged care. Our message to the Government today was clear: this Budget must deliver the funding needed for aged care workers to have reliable, safe, well-paid jobs.... Quality safe aged care means mandated minimum staffing levels and the right mix of skills on every shift. And no more taxpayers’ money lining the pockets of owners of private aged care facilities. There must be transparency and accountability for every cent of Government funding. These workers deserve real action on aged care, not more empty words.
21.01.2022 I'm about to head into the Budget lock-up.
21.01.2022 This morning we had our emergency superannuation summit. Here’s what you need to know. Every speaker supported the need for the scheduled superannuation increases due in July to go ahead.... Bill Kelty, former ACTU Secretary, and one of the architects of the superannuation system, spoke about how the system was designed to ensure no worker was left behind. Heather Ridout, former head of the AiG, spoke about how superannuation not only supports workers, but also supports and invests in the Australian economy which will be so vital as we look to rebuild post-pandemic. Former Liberal leader John Hewson denounced the Government’s attacks on our super system, and their hypocrisy in taking home 15.4% in super while simultaneously expecting Australians to scrape by on 9.5%. We are truly not all in this together. Emma Dawson, Executive Director of Per Capita, outlined how the superannuation freeze and the Government’s early access to super scheme have disproportionately impacted women, young people, and low-income earners. We heard from Sherree Clarke who is an assistant in nursing in aged care. She spoke so powerfully about how she worries about becoming a statistic in the rise of homelessness among older women due to her low superannuation balance. If the superannuation increase to 12% doesn’t go ahead, she could be up to $35,000 worse off by retirement. She has already lost $4000 since super was last frozen in 2014. And we heard from Del Brookes, who has been a disability support worker for 15 years and cares for her mother. Unless the Government increases the superannuation guarantee, Del and so many of her colleagues will be retiring into poverty they simply do not have enough super. Our message to working people is this: We will never give up. We will stand shoulder to shoulder with you to demand your government respects your right to an equitable and dignified retirement, and delivers the legislated increase in the super guarantee we will hold them to account on that promise they made to you at the last election.
20.01.2022 No plan for jobs. Just cuts.
20.01.2022 Workers aren’t being greedy or illogical by asking the Government to stick to the legislated increase in the super guarantee. We know that on average, Australians will run out of retirement savings 10 years before they die. We know we just don’t have enough super. So when we stand up for an increase in the super guarantee, we’re really standing up for dignity and security in retirement. Why does this Government have a problem with that?
19.01.2022 Ok, that’s it. I’ve had enough of the Government spreading misinformation about super to further their ideological attacks on your retirement savings. Here are some of the most common false arguments I've seen, and the truths that you deserve to know: 1. Young people should be able to use super to buy a home.... Nonsensical. This would just push up the price of housing and leave young people worse off in retirement. And it’s pretty convenient that most politicians won’t be around by then to be held responsible for such dangerous policymaking. 2. "The early withdrawal scheme is harmless and necessary." Absolutely not. The Government wanted to cut corners on JobKeeper and JobSeeker by making people (mostly young people!) fund their own crisis response. A 25 year old who withdraws $20,000 now could be up to $95,000 worse off by retirement. 3. We have to choose: wage rises or super increases. No. The last time they froze super, wages didn't increase. If they freeze it again, there's no way to get bosses to pass on a pay rise. Since they froze the legislated increase of the superannuation guarantee, wage growth has stagnated. 4. Super is unaffordable for business. Not having it. From 1 July, under the legislated superannuation guarantee increase, an employer would have to pay a full-time retail worker an extra $4.16 per week in super. For a 30 year old this means an extra $62,540 in retirement. All for the cost of a cup of coffee for the boss. Enough of the misinformation. Australian workers deserve the truth. We’ve got one of the best retirement systems in the world. We must protect it.
19.01.2022 Well that was pretty incredible. We just held an online press conference and roundtable with members and officials from the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, HSU National, and the United Workers Union. Together, we launched an historic and comprehensive plan to fix our broken aged care system, protect workers who have been at the front line of the fight against the virus, and provide better quality care to older Australians.... It’s our plan to deliver Action for Aged Care. The pandemic has shown us that insecure and undervalued work leaves workers unable to provide the quality of care that older Australians should be able to expect. In order to create a system which gives older Australians quality care, respect and dignity we need to protect the rights of the working people who care for them. Mandated minimum staffing levels and a regulated mix of skills on every shift in every facility is essential for improving the quality of care delivered to older Australians. We need to ensure that one job is enough for any worker in aged care. Aged care workers having to work between multiple facilities has been a huge problem during the pandemic and must end. There should be training requirements, with training accessible to all aged care workers and paid for by the employer. And we must see increased Government funding with transparency and accountability for every cent of Government funding received. It’s time to get this right for older Australians, their loved ones, and aged care workers. You can sign on to support our plan and let the Government know you demand Action for Aged Care here: https://utm.io/uKId
15.01.2022 So the decrease in official unemployment seems to be from workers being required to become sole traders to deliver to our homes. A systematic sham to avoid paying workers minimum pay and conditions.
12.01.2022 It’s almost like they’ve forgotten that they deliberately excluded higher education workers from JobKeeper.
12.01.2022 Women and older people weren’t cashing in. They needed income and support.
11.01.2022 I’ve just seen the unemployment figures. They’re shocking. And still, the Government is ploughing ahead with their plans to cut JobKeeper and JobSeeker.
11.01.2022 Today we launched a Working From Home Charter for union members to use to win proper protections. You can access it here
11.01.2022 Young workers, women, low-income workers - many of those those worst affected by the crisis were forced to fund their own crisis response.
11.01.2022 Today is National Sorry Day. We stop, remember and say sorry for the forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from their families and communities.
10.01.2022 You know what? If we’d just listened to the nurses and carers we would have saved so many lives in aged care.
10.01.2022 The Government has revealed some details of a so-called plan to help women recover from the recession. What an outrageously bad proposal. Forcing women to raid their already inadequate super to keep themselves and their children safe. ... Not to mention how it does nothing for all the women who now have no super left because of this government. Just disgraceful.
08.01.2022 It’s simply a plan to stop your super increasing. There is no plan to increase wages.
06.01.2022 .....wouldn’t you want to praise and promote the ‘natural empathy’ of NDIS public servants?
06.01.2022 Such sad news today. We have lost a legend of our movement. Vale Peter Simpson (Simmo). Our thoughts and condolences to Penny and his family, ETU - The Electrical Trades Union and ETU Queensland & NT.
06.01.2022 Let’s remember that for every job there are 13 workers looking for work. That cutting payments will leave people without enough to pay their bills.
06.01.2022 Give security guards secure jobs, pay them enough to live on, prosecute wage theft and while we’re at it stop blaming the worker and fix what we already know is the problem.
05.01.2022 The next time you hear a politician or business lobbyist argue against the superannuation guarantee increase, think of this image. This is the reality of life for so many older Australians. We know that on average, workers will run out of retirement savings ten years before they die, throwing them on to the age pension and pushing them into poverty. ... Workers need more super, not less. Workers deserve dignity and comfort (and yes I can’t believe this has to be said) enough to eat, in retirement.
04.01.2022 Well I reckon it’s not your job Minister to undermine workers’ retirement savings by cutting their guaranteed and legislated super payments, or to attack investments in jobs during a recession.
03.01.2022 Can you picture yourself working at 74? Apparently, the government can. The Morrison Government is gearing up to cut the increases due in superannuation to bring it up to 12%. That’s the money employers are required to pay into your super, on top of your wage. By law, it’s meant to go up to 10% next July. It’s the cornerstone of ensuring most workers receive a dignified retirement. The cut could mean that workers who are currently putting their lives on the line to keep th...is country running will have to work beyond what should be expected. The biggest worry you should have at 74 is what Christmas present to get your grandchildren, not how you’re going to pay the heating bill. We know this Government has an agenda against the superannuation system. They’ve gutted many peoples retirement by forcing them to raid their super in a once in a century event. Combined with their previous freeze on super and then these cuts, workers will have over $100,000 less to live on when they retire. Let’s be clear here - yes the super system needs improving, including by paying super on parental leave, but the answer isn’t to destroy the system that has supported workers for over 30 years. And when the government doesn’t listen - we stand up. We will not let them rob millions of workers of the best and healthiest years of their retirement, including the workers who have got us through this pandemic.
03.01.2022 Long night ahead! Tonight is the first night of the annual meeting of the ITUC General Council and the first time it has ever been held online. The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) is the global peak body for the world’s working people. It represents over 200 million workers and is made up of 332 national union bodies (like the ACTU) from 163 countries and territories.... And as part of my role as ACTU President, I represent Australian unions at ITUC meetings. Because of the various time differences, they often run at odd times for us tonight’s and tomorrow nights meeting start at 11pm and are scheduled to finish at around 2am! One of the main things we’ll be discussing is recovery - plans to protect wages and jobs, invest in new jobs and guarantee workers’ rights as the world deals with and begins to recover from COVID-19. I’ll be giving a short presentation on some of the rights for workers we have campaigned for and won during the pandemic and the Australian union movement’s plans for economic recovery. In that, I’ll be discussing our National Economic Reconstruction Plan, how women have been disproportionately impacted by the recession, and also the urgent work that has to be done to reform our aged care sector. Many working people across the world are still dealing with the impact of an out of control virus. Solidarity is so important and part of that is sharing what’s been won to keep people safe and supported by unions in different countries. It’s also good to know that we’re not alone in our struggle to rebuild after this crisis and rising to all the challenges this pandemic has set us. Even though we’re separated by oceans and timezones, nothing can diminish our collective power, our resolve to make sure no-one is left behind and to win rights and a fair share for workers in Australia and around the world.
03.01.2022 Turns out saying the word women a lot does not actually deliver change for women.
02.01.2022 For workers in casual, unreliable and low paid jobs there is no certainty or confidence to spend. Where’s the push for businesses to spend on wages, skills and investment not just pocket rising profits?
01.01.2022 The Government’s Budget chooses more insecure work, lower wages. It will do nothing to create more secure, reliable employment or increase wages.
