Joe Hockey has been awarded the 2015 Golden Toilet Brush Award for being the person to do the “least to promote the wellbeing of cleaners in the previous year”.

In a ceremony on the lawns of Parliament attended by Senator Glen Lazurus and Wayne Swan, Hockey pipped Tony Abbott for the novelty sized golden brush.

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“Mr Hockey has offended hard working Australians. He is telling them to earn ‘good money’ while actively cutting the wages of government cleaners and freezing the wages of Parliament House cleaners,” said United Voice national president Jo-anna Schofield.

“Mr Hockey has offended too many people too often in recent months. “United Voice hopes that this Golden Toilet Brush will help Mr Hockey and flush some of his recent problems away.”

Senators and MPs with Treasurer Joe Hockey’s 2015 Golden Toilet Brush Award @2GBNews pic.twitter.com/73pyinan54

— Stephanie Borys (@StephieBorys) June 14, 2015

United Voice is the national cleaners’ union and they say that after the scrapping of the Commonwealth Cleaning Services Guide, their wages are being cut by almost $7,000 per year, whilst they’re forced to do more work.

Parliament House cleaners have gone on a 24 hour strike. 

“Today the Prime Minister and Treasurer have a chance to deliver for cleaners rather than using cleaners as political fodder. 

“Parliament House cleaners take pride in doing their job professionally and keeping Parliament House clean and safe for everybody,” said Ms Schofield.

The union say their wages have not increased since July 1st 2012.

Around 40 cleaners are employed to maintain Parliament House, where more than 5,000 staff work with over 4,500 rooms.

According to a 2012-13 Fair Work Ombudsman report, 38 per cent of Australian businesses don’t meet the minimum rate of pay for cleaners.