Workplace ombudsman fights for a second term, despite critics

Natalie James says she wants to be reappointed as Michaelia Cash considers rival candidates for the $426,160-a-year job.

Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James has declared she wants to be reappointed for a further five years as the government considers rival candidates for her $426,160-a-year job.

Ms James, appointed by Bill Shorten eight weeks before Labor lost power at the 2013 election, will finish her five-year term in July and faces speculation she could be replaced.

Ms James is among several candidates who have been interviewed by a public service panel for the position that was recently ­advertised by the government.

Jobs and Innovation Minister Michaelia Cash is considering the panel’s recommendation before recommending her choice to federal cabinet.

Ms James said yesterday she wanted to stay in the job.

“I am very committed to the role and I have made it clear I would be very happy to continue in it should the government choose to reappoint me,’’ she told The Australian.

She said the regulator had ­secured “record penalties and good outcomes”, and she would welcome the opportunity to access higher penalty provisions and new evidence-gathering powers.

Resource sector employers criticised Ms James and the government over their lack of ­response to allegedly unlawful ­industrial action by workers attending last week’s ACTU rally that disrupted the Port of Melbourne and the city’s central business district.

Australian Mines and Metals Association chief executive Steve Knott claimed the ombudsman had been “asleep at the wheel”.

Ms James defended the agency’s performance, and pointed out that it had five separate actions running against unions, including actions flowing from recent disputes at the Oaky Creek mine in Queensland and Webb Dock in Melbourne.

“It’s not the majority of our work but where we see serious breaches of laws irrespective of the sections of the act, we take appropriate action in line with our ­enforcement and compliance policy,’’ she said.

Ms James said the agency had “finite resources so we have to prioritise our work ... We receive 26,000 requests from workers for assistance every year.’’

A spokeswoman for Senator Cash said last night the government would announce the ­appointment “at the appropriate time” and the position had been advertised in line with Australian Public Service Commission policy.

Opposition workplace relations spokesman Brendan O’Connor said the Coalition should not appoint a hardliner.

“The Turnbull government should relent on continuing to hire anti-worker warriors as workplace regulators, and instead appoint someone who will be focused on fighting worker exploitation, otherwise a future Labor government will have to consider its position,’’ he said.

Senator Cash’s spokeswoman said the government provided a $20.1 million increase in funding to the agency as part of a 2016 election commitment.

“As workplace relations minister, Bill Shorten reduced FWO funding, cut staff and had no policy to protect vulnerable workers,’’ she said.