This week I met with a delegation of young people from across Australia who travelled to Parliament House to advocate for the SDA's Adult Age, Adult Wage campaign. These young Australians came to share their stories with us. There were stories like Serena's, who, at 19 years old, is getting paid less than the people she manages, despite her having more experience and more responsibility. There were stories like Tyrone's, a 19-year-old supermarket worker living in regional South Australia who's been working since he was 14, been living out of home on his own since he was 17 and still at school but who is earning 20 per cent less than the adult wage at his workplace. That means about $5 less per hour. He's had to find a second job just to get by.

The SDA is fighting alongside these young members to end junior rates for workers aged 18 in retail and fast food and to challenge the concept that workers aged 18, 19 or 20 should be paid less than their coworkers aged 21 and over to do the same job, and I reckon that's fair enough too. At 18 years old, many workers will have caring responsibilities, rent and bills to pay, or be providing for their families, yet they don't get paid the same as their peers working the same job who are only a couple of years older than them.

To those who travelled to Canberra and to those back home campaigning for fairer rates for young retail workers: I want you to know that by raising your voice you can build better workplaces. You can do that for yourselves and for your peers. I am always proud to fight side by side with the SDA at home and in this place, the Senate, every day to support you.