Coalition backs ALP business reforms, avoid split

The Prime Minister is preparing to wave through one of Labor’s key small business reforms amid threats from Nat­ionals MPs.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Liberal candidate Bridget Archer greet Liberal supporters at the opening of the party’s Bass campaign office in Launceston, Tasmania, on Saturday.

Labor and the Greens are accusing Scott Morrison of losing control of the national agenda as parliament resumes, with the Prime Minister preparing to wave through one of Bill Shorten’s key small business reforms amid threats from Nat­ionals MPs that they will cross the floor to vote with the opposition.

The government’s backdown on Labor’s “access to justice measures” — allowing small businesses to more easily take legal action against larger competitors — will allow Mr Morrison to avoid a ­second historic defeat on legislation within a week following the passage of Labor’s refugee medivac bill.

The move risks being viewed as a capitulation to an emboldened Labor/Greens/independent maj­ority on the floor of parliament.

Greens leader Richard Di Nat­ale yesterday said Mr Morrison had “lost control of the house” and demanded an immediate election.

The Coalition will also sidestep a defeat over a non-binding ­motion calling for a royal commission into disability abuse after Mr Morrison confirmed the motion would pass the lower house.

He flagged further consultation with the states on the next steps, including terms of reference for a new royal commission.

“The motion that will come from the Senate will pass,” he said.

“It won’t be opposed by the government and was not going to be opposed by the government. I think this was another of the cruel lies that was put around last week.”

Manager of opposition business Tony Burke said the Prime Minister was “clinging to power by his fingernails”.

He accused the government of being forced into a series of “backflips” because of its weakened ­position.

“Let’s face facts — the government isn’t changing its mind because it’s listened to the arguments,” Mr Burke said.

“These backflips are from a Prime Minister who will say and do anything to stay in office.”

The concessions from Mr Morrison come after the government was humiliated in parliament last week following the passage of the medivac bill that experts warn will dismantle offshore processing.

Mr Morrison’s energy agenda has also been hobbled, with the Coalition forced to defer parliamentary consideration of the government’s much-touted “big stick” legislation, aimed at breaking up the assets of energy companies for anti-competitive conduct.

Senator Di Natale urged the government to go to the polls early, saying it no longer had any authority over the house.

“We need an election now because the next few months are simply going to prolong the agony with a government that is divided,” he said.

A major split in Coalition ranks threatens to spill on to the floor of parliament today, with Nationals MPs vowing to cross the floor to support Labor’s “access to justice” reforms that passed the Senate on Thursday after being stapled on to a non-controversial Treasury bill.

Queensland Nationals MP Llew O’Brien told The Australian he was prepared to vote with Labor if the government refused to reverse its past opposition to the package, which would allow a busines­s owner claiming anti-­competitive conduct against a larger rival to request a “no ­adverse costs order” early in a court case.

“I support the amendment as I understand it,” Mr O’Brien said.

“This will enable a smaller retailer to take on a corporate giant like Coles without the fear of a massive costs penalty.”

In 2017, the Coalition voted against Labor’s proposed “access to justice” shake-up.