Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Small Business) Share this | Hansard source

As I said very clearly, there are thresholds that need to be met. The single employer needs to have the businesses with the threshold number of employees. We are currently negotiating and discussing, given the Senate recommendations on that number of employees. We've also said that either side of the bargaining table can opt in to the single-interest bargaining stream—the employer, by consent, or the employees, by majority support. They also need to meet the test whereby the Fair Work Commission needs to be satisfied that the employers have clearly identified common interests and the bargaining is not contrary to the public interest.

So, there are several thresholds that need to be met. On the employee number, as you would know from the recommendations from the Senate, there is another number that has been proposed, and we're currently in negotiations and are discussing that. But let's be very clear. Over two million small businesses in Australia will be exempt from these provisions.

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