The Australian’s Dennis Shanahan says Premier Daniel Andrew’s decision to introduce a pilot program offering sick leave to casual workers is “a con job” that has nothing to do with COVID-19 and all to do with Labor politics.

Daniel Andrews announced on Monday his government will invest $5 million into a two-year pilot program which will offer up to five days of sick leave to casual and insecure workers.

“What we have to be extremely wary of, is where people are going to try to make social engineering decisions, based on evidence that doesn’t have anything really to do with coronavirus,” Mr Shanahan said.

“Whether people in casual employment get sick leave or not has nothing to do with coronavirus.

“This is not a COVID issue, this is a long-standing attempt by the Labor Party and the union movement to change the nature of casual work and they are using COVID-19 as an excuse.

“Daniel Andrews is attempting to give the public something for nothing. He’s going to give it to them for two years, he’s going to pay for it out of the taxpayers’ pocket. Then, he won’t be able to take it back, and businesses will have to pay a double whammy.

“This is a big con job and it’s using COVID to make long term changes which have nothing to do with COVID and all to do with the long-term agenda of the union movement to change the nature of the casual workforce.

“This is what this is about, this is Labor politics, and this is Daniel Andrews’ politics.”