In the last week of the Australian parliament sitting this year, the Attorney-General and Industriel Relations Minister, Charles Christian Porter is going to introduce the remaining sections of industrial relations omnibus bill.
Earlier this year, the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the JobMaking recovery plan that encompasses changes being made to the industrial relation system to ensure a stable and long-lasting economy after COVID-19.
The Government’s plan will focus on boosting the economy while improving job circumstances to aid workers and people who were impacted by COVID-19.
“The extent of the damage wrought by Covid-19 on the Australian economy, and the enormity of the challenge we now face to get Australians back into jobs, means the policy priorities for recovery will be different to those in place before this crisis.”
Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison said at the National Press Club
Porter was assigned the job of assembling the concerned parties, including employers, industry groups, employee representatives and government representatives to discuss issues and work together on ameliorating and proposing solutions to industrial relations issues.
In addition, the Attorney-General had the duty of overseeing and guiding five working groups to mediate and come to a consensus regarding reforms such as lessening the complexity of awards for businesses, raising the number of employees included in enterprise agreement making, appropriately characterizing casual and fixed term employees, aiding businesses to comply and enforce laws, and improving greenfields agreements for enterprises.
On Monday, Porter announced the first section of the reform package that covers casual employment.
Under these reforms casual workers will have the right to choose to shift into permanent full time or part-time workers after spending 6 months out of 12 month in regular work. This way, the Minister says, “we’re going to fix this problem that has developed around what is or is not a casual employee and how they should be paid.”
The bill will not only clear up the confusion of casual workers’ entitlement, but it will also remove doubts in the hiring process.
“The Morrison Government’s reforms will deliver certainty to casual employees and their employers, prevent double-dipping and ensure businesses can make hiring decisions now to drive jobs growth.”
The Attorney-General and Industrial-Relations Minister, Charles Christian Porter. Retrieved from the Minister’s social media.
The Australian Green Party intends to present amendments to the government’s industrial relations bill.
“When Parliament debates the Government’s new Industrial Relations Bill, the Greens will move amendments to ban insecure work.”
Australia’s Green Party Leader, Adam Bandt. Retrieved from Bandt’s social media.
The Green’s leader Adam Bandt believes that “every job should be permanent unless an employer can demonstrate the need for casual work, and we need to extend entitlements of employees to gig economy workers.”
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