They claim insecure work, like labour hire contractors and gig jobs, are eroding hard-won rights, like casual loadings.

However, experts are concerned that we could be creating "21st century chimney-sweeps" by ignoring labour protections.

Reuben Murray is one of those gig workers, a horticultural tradesperson who uses Airtasker to find work and told The Project the gig economy is “incredibly tough”.

“Trying to find work as a gig economy contractor is difficult at the best of times,” Murray said, adding “the conditions of work are even worse”. 

Murray said that finding work on Airtasker is a “race to the bottom”.

“The way Airtasker works is that it encourages - or it requires - each contractor to bid against each other. The only person that can see all the bids is the customer. We can see our own bids, of course, but we can't see what everyone else has bid,” Murray explained.  

“So it encourages a race to the bottom, and the customer - particularly on Airtasker, I've found - always goes for the lowest bid.“

Murray said he has started studying a Bachelor of Humanities because gig work isn’t a long term option.

“You can't raise a family on Airtasker. You can't raise a family on insecure gig work.”