The Urban Developer
AdvertiseEventsWebinarsUrbanity
Industry Excellence
Urban Leader
Sign In
Membership
Latest
Menu
Location
Sector
Category
Content
Type
Newsletters
Urban Leader Awards Logos RGB White
NOMINATIONS CLOSE SEPTEMBER 12 RECOGNISING THE INDIVIDUALS BEHIND THE PROJECTS
NOMINATIONS CLOSING SEPTEMBER 12 URBAN LEADER AWARDS
LEARN MOREDETAILS
TheUrbanDeveloper
Follow
About
About Us
Membership
Awards
Events
Webinars
Listings
Resources
Terms & Conditions
Commenting Policy
Privacy Policy
Republishing Guidelines
Editorial Charter
Complaints Handling Policy
Contact
General Enquiries
Advertise
Contribution Enquiry
Project Submission
Membership Enquiry
Newsletter
Stay up to date and with the latest news, projects, deals and features.
Subscribe
ADVERTISEMENT
SHARE
print
Print
IndustrialTaryn ParisThu 10 Nov 22

Labor’s Workplace Bill On Way to Senate

Developers and the broader business community are pressuring the senate to reject industrial relations reforms that would enable multi-employer bargaining, fearing it could seriously impact the cost of labour and project delivery. 
 
Labour shortages in the past two years, coupled with supply chain issues and skyrocketing costs have hamstrung the development sector as it struggles to digest a huge pipeline of work. 
 
Industrial relations minister Tony Burke moved to exclude commercial building and construction industries from the multi-employer bargaining amendments included in a swathe of industrial relations reforms passed in the House of Representatives this week. 
 
More than 150 amendments to Australia’s Industrial Relations framework have been passed through the lower house and are due to go to the Senate later this month. 
 
Burke told the house the decision to exclude the sector was “not taken lightly”.

“We do not believe it is appropriate or necessary to extend multi-employer bargaining to this industry at this time,” Burke said.

ACTU national secretary Sally McManus welcomed the move after calling for an overhaul to industrial relations to enable companies in the same industry to enter into a single enterprise bargaining agreement, which she said would deliver efficiencies and fairer pay rises.

But Ai Group chief executive Innes Willox is calling on the senate to reject the Bill.

“Too much is at stake to support the rush to pass this Bill,” Willox said.
 
“The government has proposed to exclude a specific type of ‘building and construction work’ from the multi-employer bargaining regime ... the exemption is extremely narrow. There are a raft of building and construction industry activities that aren’t covered by the carve out, including for example all civil, metal or engineering construction work. A much broader exemption is required.
 
“Given the risks involved, the Bill as it stands should be rejected by the Senate. At the very least, the Senate should be allowed much more time to consider and propose amendments that would identify and rectify the numerous flaws in the Bill.”
 
Willox said the expansion of multi-employer bargaining would reduce productivity, investment and jobs. 
 
The safe passage of the Bill through the upper house hinges on the swing vote of ACT independent David Pocock who has called for the Bill to be split in two. 

Pocock has reportedly pitched a deal to wipe the Australian Capital Territory's $100-million public housing debt in return for a vote that could clinch the deal and deliver the IR reform Bill.

IndustrialAustraliaPolicyPolicy
AUTHOR
Taryn Paris
More articles by this author
ADVERTISEMENT
TOP STORIES
Stockland bumps up its apartment pipeline in melbourne and sydney
Exclusive

Stockland Re-Enters Density in $5bn Apartment Play

Renee McKeown
4 Min
Woolloongabba Precinct Vulture St
Exclusive

Brisbane Developer in Cross River Rail Compensation Tussle

Clare Burnett
4 Min
The Mondrian Gold Coast hotel's food and beverage is driving profits
Exclusive

Touch, Taste, Theatre: What’s Driving Mondrian’s Success

Renee McKeown
6 Min
Fortis’ display suites are designed as brand environments first, with tactile details and curated design to build buyer confidence before project specifics.
Exclusive

Relevant or Redundant: Will Tech Kill Display Suites?

Vanessa Croll
7 Min
Exclusive

Missing Heart: Why The Gold Coast Needs a CBD

Phil Bartsch
7 Min
View All >
South Melbourne social housing precinct
Affordable & Social Housing

South Melbourne Housing Precinct Revamp Takes Next Step

Leon Della Bosca
Stockland bumps up its apartment pipeline in melbourne and sydney
Exclusive

Stockland Re-Enters Density in $5bn Apartment Play

Renee McKeown
Aerial view of Caboolture and Bruce highway to Brisbane with Bribie Island Road crossing, Queensland, Australia
Policy

Queensland’s $2bn Push Opens New Housing Front

Vanessa Croll
First projects named in a statewide plan to fast-track supply, including thousands of homes in a major growth region…
LATEST
South Melbourne social housing precinct
Affordable & Social Housing

South Melbourne Housing Precinct Revamp Takes Next Step

Leon Della Bosca
2 Min
Stockland bumps up its apartment pipeline in melbourne and sydney
Exclusive

Stockland Re-Enters Density in $5bn Apartment Play

Renee McKeown
4 Min
Aerial view of Caboolture and Bruce highway to Brisbane with Bribie Island Road crossing, Queensland, Australia
Policy

Queensland’s $2bn Push Opens New Housing Front

Vanessa Croll
2 Min
JQZ Parramatta EDM
Residential

JQZ Plots 10-Storey Addition to Parramatta ‘Auto Alley’ Plans

Clare Burnett
3 Min
View All >
ADVERTISEMENT
Article originally posted at: https://www.theurbandeveloper.com/articles/industrial-reform-legislation-passed-federal-labor