Farmers join industrial-size campaign against new IR laws

Labor’s industrial relations law changes will create a “red-tape minefield” for farmers, says the National Farmers’ Federation.

Farmers have joined the nation’s peak business groups in a multimillion-dollar campaign railing against the Albanese government’s “destructive” industrial relations changes.

The alliance will bankroll a print, radio and television advertising blitz under the banner of “a better way, for better pay”, launched at Parliament House today, to place pressure on a government preparing to roll out its union-endorsed “same job, same pay” laws later this year.

In a joint statement, the group expressly warned the government’s laws were a “retrograde policy” that would lead to lower wage and jobs growth, “compounding the plight of workers and families who are already doing it tough”.

It also said the changes – the biggest IR reform for decades – would curtail flexibility to adjust business settings with changing economic conditions and force employers to pay inexperienced workers the same as more experienced colleagues.

National Farmers’ Federation chief executive Tony Mahar. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch.

National Farmers’ Federation chief executive Tony Mahar predicted the new laws would be a “red-tape minefield” for farmers and could create “chaos and confusion” during peak production and harvest times when contractor numbers could surge by up to 500 per cent in a short period.

“This isn’t about fairness. We can’t pretend every temporary contractor has the same value as a longstanding employee. We should be allowed to reward loyalty and experience,” he said.

“Most farms are small, family-run businesses which don’t have lawyers or an HR department to turn to.”

He also said the changes would make it “more complex and costly” to grow food and compound inflationary pressures rife across the Australian community.

However, while the full details of the government’s proposed changes would be fully unveiled later this year, Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke said they would focus on closing “loopholes” exploited by businesses to undercut workers’ pay.

He also said the reforms would ensure subcontractors or labour hire workers were not paid less than their permanent colleagues for doing the same work.

Federal Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke. Picture: Jenny Evans

Joining the NFF are the Business Council of Australia, Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association, Council of Small Business Organisations, Australia Master Builders Australia, the Minerals Council of Australia, the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia and the Recruitment, Consulting and Staffing Association.

“This retrograde policy will deny Australian workers flexibility and the capacity to be treated individually. It will deny them the opportunity to negotiate more pay for harder work,” the group said.

BCA chief executive Jennifer Westacott said the changes were “an own goal for the country and then an own goal for workers because jobs will go somewhere else”.

Labor’s industrial relations bill passed the parliament last December.

Business Council of Australia chief executive Jennifer Westacott. Picture: Arsineh Houspian