Fresh doubt on IR bill as Stirling Griff, One Nation calls for major change

Senate crossbenchers’ calls for changes cast fresh doubt on Coalition’s push to get the proposed laws passed next week.

Senator Stirling Griff says ‘we would not vote for the bill in its current form’. Picture: Getty Images

Senate crossbencher Stirling Griff has called for significant changes to the Coalition’s industrial relations bill before he would consider supporting it, casting fresh doubt on the ability of the government to get the proposed laws passed next week.

Fellow crossbencher Rex Patrick, who along with Jacqui Lambie wants a Senate vote on the bill delayed until May, said it would be “impossible” for the government to get agreement on the complex legislation while Christian Porter was on leave.

Senator Patrick told ABC television that he could almost guarantee that the bill would not be dealt with during next week’s sitting.

One Nation ‘won’t be rushed into vote’

One Nation, which has two crossbench votes, said it would seek amendments related to casuals, greenfields agreements, protections for workers in enterprise agreements, awards and compliance.

One Nation’s Malcolm Roberts said he had doubts about the government’s commitment to comprehensive debate on the bill given a vote was expected just days after a Senate inquiry report into the bill was released on Friday

“This is critical legislation and Senator (Pauline) Hanson and I will not be rushed into a vote before we have had time to consider the report’s recommendations.”

He said he would not support the bill in its current form and the government needed to be prepared to “embrace One Nation’s amendments to rectify and remove the legislation’s flaws”.

“Good industrial relations is about restoring the primary workplace relationship between the employee and employer, and stop the money flowing to the IR club that profits from complexities,” he said.

“If the Industrial Relations legislation isn’t doing that, and this current Bill doesn’t, then it isn’t good IR and I am committed to amending the Bill for the betterment of employers and employees.

“One Nation will be seeking a review of this legislation in twelve months to address any unintended consequences and a commitment from the government to undertake comprehensive industrial relations reform within two years.”

Griff wants Law Council changes

Senator Griff told The Australian on Wednesday that the government would need to support changes recommended by the Law Council of Australia before he would entertain supporting the bill, including greatly enhanced arbitration powers for the Fair Work Commission.

In its submission to a Senate inquiry, the Law Council proposes a raft of changes, including giving casual workers access to arbitration by the commission where an employer denied a request to convert to permanent employment.

Senator Jacqui Lambie. Picture: Getty Images

The proposal, backed by the union movement, is not currently supported by the government but the Law Council said the change would prevent employers unreasonably denying a request from a casual.

The Law Council called for the commission to be able to arbitrate employment condition disputes for workers covered by eight year greenfield agreements; arbitrate disputes about flexible work directions and disputes over wage underpayment claims of up to $50,000.

“We would not vote for the bill in its current form,” Senator Griff said. “If they implemented the Law Society recommended changes that would be a start, but even after there is still much to be sorted.”

The ACTU executive on Wednesday called for the repealing of new union demerger laws, despite the peak union body not publicly criticising the proposed legislation before it passed the Senate in December.

The repeal call is at odds with the ALP which supported the legislation that allows for the break up of amalgamated unions, including the CFMEU.

Ahead of Wednesday’s ACTU executive meeting, the Electrical Trades Union urged Labor to reverse its support and called on the ACTU to campaign to have the laws repealed.

Ms McManus said “legislation about the governance of unions should not be made without consultation”. “This bill was rushed through parliament and should be repealed,” she said.