Coalition gets through gutted industrial relations bill

The government has stripped back its industrial relations bill to get it passed through the Senate.

The Morrison Government’s gutted industrial relations bill has passed the Senate after the Coalition dropped all its key elements except for casual employment changes.

The government move followed Senate crossbencher Stirling Griff revealing he would use his deciding vote to oppose employer-backed changes to enterprise bargaining, awards and greenfields agreements.

The government responded to Senator Griff’s decision by junking proposed wage theft laws, sparking condemnation from Labor and unions.

ACTU secretary Sally McManus accused the government of a “shameful and vindictive reaction” to failing to get support for changes that she said would reduce the right of workers.

“We have given the Government a path forward with stronger laws on wage theft and better rights for casuals. If they will not give their support to these proposals, we call on the crossbench to oppose the bill,” she said.

Acting Industrial Relations Minister Michaelia Cash told the Senate the stripped down bill would provide greater certainty for casuals and small business.

Senator Griff’s position put in a letter to the government ensured the Coalition would not get its existing bill through the Senate on Thursday.

Senator Griff said told the Government he would only support elements of the bill that “enhance protections against wage theft” in schedule 5 and that would provide certainty for casuals and their employers in schedules 1 and 7.

“Centre Alliance will not support the remaining schedules of the bill,” he said.

“This is a complex and contentious bill, and we recognise that attempting detailed amendments to the remaining parts of the bill runs the risk of unintended consequences for employees and employers.”