The Government’s complex workplace relations policy remains flawed, said Business Council Chief Executive Bran Black.
“The latest attempt by the Government to amend its complex and poor policy is yet further confirmation the Bill simply doesn’t work.
“Offering secret deals is not how you create policies that will affect every worker and business in Australia, as well as driving up the cost of living.
“We haven’t seen any detail, but on face value it appears the Government has now agreed to do something it had already committed to doing. The Bill was flawed before the Government first committed to excluding service contractors from its labour hire changes, and it remains flawed now.
“Tinkering at the edges of 800 pages of complex legislation and supporting documents doesn’t solve the issues and will only compound the complexity of a bill that will drive up costs for all Australians at a time they can least afford it.
“What is currently being discussed is only one small element in a major omnibus bill that significantly increases union powers, will cut pay and reduce work for casual workers, increase red tape and make Australia less competitive.
“We need to examine the entire bill and its cost implications, and the current process is failing to look at the overall economic impact of what is being proposed, noting the Government still seems committed to rushing the Bill through by the end of the year.”
