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Opposition leader Anthony Albanese has challenged the Morrison government to take up the fight to gig-economy companies in same way it has technology giants Google and Facebook. Mr Albanese continued his campaign for industrial relations reform on Thursday, inviting rideshare and food delivery drivers to Parliament House to highlight poor working conditions in the sector. Labor plans to boost workers’ rights if it wins the next federal election, a move which could set up a brawl with major players in the sector. Asked if he was prepared to fight big global companies during an election campaign, Mr Albanese drew parallels with laws passed this week to ensure tech giants Google and Facebook paid news organisations for content. He argued that just as the Morrison government was using the media bargaining code to help protect the jobs of journalists, it should legislate to support gig-economy workers. Mr Albanese said in both cases new laws were needed to deal with issues which had emerged in the past decade. “The government, opposition and this parliament have been prepared to take tough decisions. We have been prepared to stand ground, to legislate for a code, and to do that in order to defend Australia’s national interests and defend the jobs of journalists,” he told reporters. READ MORE: “Labor stood with the government on those issues. It was the right thing to do. “[Gig-economy workers] James, Ashley and Malcolm deserve as much respect and dignity as the [journalists] at this press conference. They deserve it. “Josh Frydenberg got onto Mark Zuckerberg about Facebook. Why isn’t the government prepared to negotiate on behalf of these people?” Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
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Opposition leader Anthony Albanese has challenged the Morrison government to take up the fight to gig-economy companies in same way it has technology giants Google and Facebook.
He argued that just as the Morrison government was using the media bargaining code to help protect the jobs of journalists, it should legislate to support gig-economy workers.
Mr Albanese said in both cases new laws were needed to deal with issues which had emerged in the past decade.
“The government, opposition and this parliament have been prepared to take tough decisions. We have been prepared to stand ground, to legislate for a code, and to do that in order to defend Australia’s national interests and defend the jobs of journalists,” he told reporters.
“Labor stood with the government on those issues. It was the right thing to do.
“[Gig-economy workers] James, Ashley and Malcolm deserve as much respect and dignity as the [journalists] at this press conference. They deserve it.
“Josh Frydenberg got onto Mark Zuckerberg about Facebook. Why isn’t the government prepared to negotiate on behalf of these people?”
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
