Government workplace law review to be broad

A BATTLE over workplace laws and conditions is set to be waged again with a federal government review to probe penalty rates, pay, unions, bargaining, work hours and more.

Labor has accused government of not releasing details of the review ahead of the South Au

EMPLOYMENT Minister Eric Abetz says the government's review of workplace laws will be thorough and broad but has refused to spell out its scope.

The federal government is yet to announce details of a promised Productivity Commission review of Labor's Fair Work Act.

A leaked version of the review's draft terms of reference obtained by Fairfax Media says it will look at penalty rates, pay and conditions, union militancy, the law's impact on unemployment, and the ability of the labour market to respond to economic conditions.

It will also probe working days lost to strikes, small business pressures, employers' bargaining ability on work hours, among other issues.

Senator Abetz said the review will be broad and a thorough analysis of the laws, but did not give further details.

“We're not in a position to pre-empt what's going to be in the terms of reference other than to say we did promise a comprehensive, broad review of laws,” he told ABC radio on Friday.

Opposition employment spokesman Brendan O’Connor says workers should be concerned by what is being reviewed.

He said the government was ensuring details weren’t disclosed ahead of the South Australian and Tasmanian state elections and the WA Senate poll re-run.

It was “frightening” that the government had everything on the table in terms of industrial relations.

“This government has Work Choices in its DNA and it wants to return to reducing conditions of employment particularly for low and mid income earners,” he told ABC radio.

“We know now the true intent behind this government in terms of reforming the Fair Work Act.”

###