Bill Shorten to reaffirm promise to reverse Sunday penalty rate cuts

[Ulquiorra]

BILL Shorten will reaffirm his promise to reverse cuts to Sunday penalty rates for workers who lose money from today, as leadership tensions threatened to overshadow the weekend NSW State Labor conference.

Hundreds of thousands of workers in the fast food, hospitality, pharmacy and retail industries will see their penalty rates drop by up to 15 per cent from today, following a February decision by the Fair Work Commission.

The Opposition Leader, who is facing internal pressure for his “captain’s call” to wind back tax relief for medium-sized businesses, will use his speech to attack the Government for a raft of changes set to hit today, including the cut to Sunday penalty rates.

“Today shop assistants, cooks, receptionists and cleaners will have their penalty rates cut again,” Mr Shorten will tell the conference. “I just want to say, to everyone who’s spending today washing dishes, or cleaning hotel rooms or stacking shelves, unlike the Liberals, I don’t think you’re greedy, or selfish, I don’t think you’re an expense the economy can’t afford.”

Today’s speech comes as Mr Shorten’s allies in the Victorian Right fear support for the Opposition Leader is wavering among NSW’s Right, in favour of frontbencher Anthony Albanese, who’s from the NSW Left.

It comes after Mr Shorten was forced to backdown on his “captain’s call” to repeal tax cuts for businesses with a turnover of up to $50 million if it won the next election, following a heated meeting of shadow cabinet on Friday.