Greens push push to regulate gig economy work

Deliveroo-food-deliveryAustralians love the ability to have food from their favourite restaurant delivered to their homes, but not at the expense of the person doing the delivering.

That’s the case the Greens will make on Monday, introducing legislation into parliament to regulate the wages and conditions of so-called “gig economy” workers.

“If we end up with 21st century technology but 19th century work practices we are all going to suffer,” Greens MP Adam Bandt told reporters in Canberra.

“We’ve got a crisis in this country where nearly one-in-three young people either haven’t got a job or haven’t got enough hours of work.”

The Greens’ bill seeks to stop companies like Uber from avoiding paying the minimum wage by using the labour of workers not classified as employees.

“We need to close this loophole and we need to ensure the convenience of the new economy doesn’t come at the cost of wages and conditions,” Bandt said.

The bill aims to ensure a level playing field of minimum wages and conditions across Australia, while still encouraging the growth of new business models.

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