Fair Work jobs blasted for ‘lack of balance’

Federal Labor has slammed the Coalition for removing “any pretence of impartiality” from Fair Work appointments.

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash.

Federal Labor has slammed the Coalition for removing “any pretence of impartiality” from Fair Work Commission appointments after elevating four members with employer-friendly credentials.

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash yesterday announced Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry industrial ­relations director Richard ­Clancy as a deputy president of the industrial umpire, in a round of ­appointments that upset unions.

Senator Cash, who is also Minister for Women, also elevated Perth lawyer Melanie Binet to deputy president, and Katrina Harper-Greenwell, a Melbourne employment relations consultant, and Jennifer Hunt, employee and industrial relations manager at Toll Holdings logistics company, as commissioners.

Labor’s workplace relations spokesman, Brendan O’Connor, yesterday accused the Turnbull government of taking an ­“ideological approach to workplace relations”.

“Malcolm Turnbull has said he wants to be more inclusive of ­unions and working people but the actions of his minister speak louder than his words,” Mr O’Connor said.

“It’s disturbing to see Malcolm Turnbull making the same partisan decisions as Tony Abbott; there is no balance, no fairness and no effort to maintain the ­integrity of the commission.”

ACTU national secretary Dave Oliver said the announcement “demonstrates a lack of ­balance”.

“It’s disappointing that since the Coalition government has been in power, they have failed to appoint a worker representative to the commission,” he said.

Senator Cash said the ­appointees were “all highly experienced in workplace relations law and the practice of workplace relations at the coalface.

“I’m sure the skills and experience each will bring to the commission will assist in its work of ensuring Australia has fairer and more productive workplaces.”

Mining industry lobby AMMA chief executive Steve Knott said the new appointees “demonstrated experience in managing complex resources and infrastructure projects and overseeing large-scale, diverse workforces’’.

Senator Cash also extended Labor appointee Danny ­Cloghan’s tenure as acting commissioner for another year, to ­“assist the commission in managing its workload” in her home state of Western Australia.

Appointees keep their position until they turn 65.

The Productivity Commission in its draft report recommended a shake-up of Fair Work Commission appointments with finite terms for commissioners.

New appointments of the president, vice-president, deputy presidents and commissioners would be for five-year terms with the prospect of reappointment at the end of the term subject to a performance review conducted by an independent panel.