Any proposal to reduce Sunday penalty rates will be taken to the next election, Employment Minister Michaelia Cash has declared.

Senator Cash on Monday said there was evidence high weekend rates of time and a half on Saturday and double time on Sunday "do deter weekend work".



There is revived debate about cutting penalty rates after newly installed Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said his revamped cabinet would consider reducing Sunday rates. On the weekend, Resources Minister Josh Frydenberg went further and advocated slashing the Sunday rate if doing so would boost the economy and jobs. But Treasurer Scott Morrison then appeared to pour cold water on the politically sensitive idea, saying reforming the tax system in a low-wage environment was the priority and not industrial relations reform.

But Senator Cash on Wednesday put the issue back on the table in an interview with the ABC, and said any changes would be put to the people.