Labour Day

Mr GEE (Napier) (15:25): Today, I wish to speak about Labour Day and, given that it is National Carers Week, I would also like to talk about the importance of carers. For many South Australia's, 3 October 2016 was a public holiday Monday of a long weekend and a chance to spend time with family and friends, to get away somewhere and not to have to attend work. Sadly, this year it was also a day where many were suffering from the recent flooding and other damage to their properties caused by the wildest weather seen in South Australia for many years.

For me and for many members on this side of the house, it was also a day of appreciation and recognition not only for the emergency services volunteers but also because it was Labour Day. Labour Day is a celebration of the fight for the eight-hour day, which was also known as 888, or eight hours' work, eight hours' recreation and eight hours' rest. This is a day when we remember the rights that have been hard fought for by unions and workers across this nation and the world to deliver the improvements to working conditions that workers have today.

Many people take for granted working conditions like the eight-hour day, five-day week, sick leave, recreational leave and all other types of leave, and many other entitlements that were won through strike, protest and negotiation by workers and their unions over the past 150 years. The first march for the eight-hour day by the Labour movement occurred in Melbourne on 21 April 1856, when stonemasons and building workers on building sites around Melbourne stopped work and marched from the University of Melbourne to Parliament House demanding an end to the six-day week, 12-hour day and 72-hour week.

Their protest was a success, and on 12 May 1856 a celebratory march was held to celebrate the new 48-hour week. It took another 20 years for every state to adopt the same regulations. These workers are recognised as among the first organised workers in the world to achieve the eight-hour day. It was almost 90 years later, in 1948, that the six-day week became a five-day week for most workers.

These rights have seen a benefit not only for workers, allowing them to spend more time with their families and pursue other activities, but also for businesses. Employers also benefit because workers are more productive when the correct work-life balance is achieved. I want to acknowledge union representatives who continue to fight across the world to achieve better conditions and entitlements for workers every day. I stand with them in solidarity for the important work that they do.

As a former AMWU vehicle division official, I note with deep sadness that the last Australian-made Ford rolled off the production line on Friday 7 October. This marked the end of 91 years of vehicle manufacturing at Ford in Victoria and, along with the loss of 280 jobs at Holden on the same day, it signals the start of the end of a famous and proud industry and the loss of highly skilled middle-class jobs. My thoughts are with these workers and their families, along with those workers in the vehicle component sector.

I now wish to speak about a very important group in our community, that is, our carers, especially our unpaid carers who care for members of their family or friends. This week is National Carers Week, an important week that highlights their work and gives everyone the chance to thank those 2.8 million unpaid carers in Australia. Of these carers, one in four is the primary carer providing the majority of support to an individual. The value of the contribution of carers in our community is more than $60 billion per year, which is clearly very significant.

I also want to thank those people and organisations who support the carers, particularly the staff and volunteers at the Northern Carers Network, who provide a range of support services and activities and giving a caring ear when carers need support or advice. The Northern Carers AGM was held during the last parliamentary sitting, and I am informed that over 200 people attended to enjoy a bite to eat and recognise the hard work of staff and volunteers. I want to thank outgoing chairperson, Angela Macfarlane, a carer herself, who is retiring after eight years of leading the organisation, particularly through the transition to NDIS.

Northern Carers volunteers gave over 11,000 hours last financial year, supporting 5,000 carers. I want to thank every carer in the north and across South Australia for the care they provide to their family and friends. I am sure that they are very much appreciated by the people they care about.