Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Manager of Opposition Business from moving amendments (4) to (5) and (9) to (12), circulated in his name, together.

The reason I do that is that, extraordinarily, at odds with normal procedure in this place and the normal courtesies and dignities extended by parliamentarians on both sides of this House, the Leader of the House has quite remarkably chosen to deny leave for what is an entirely routine process. That is the process under which, pursuant to standing order 160, a member of this House moves amendments which are relevant to or consequent on Senate amendments.

The matters that my amendments deal with are absolutely relevant to or consequent on the Senate amendments. They deal with matters such as casual employment and the appalling three-page, 15-factor definition which will create extraordinary difficulty, complexity, cost and uncertainty for employers of all sizes, from the smallest to the biggest. This is nothing less than a dreadful productivity deadweight on this nation that is in the interest of absolutely no Australian, and that is why it is important that standing and sessional orders be suspended to the extent necessary to allow this amendment to be moved.

Similarly, there is the amendment in relation to intractable bargaining: a remarkable provision that has been objected to by no less than the Labor Treasurer of Victoria. Tim Pallas is very sound on this issue—and I make that caveat: 'on this issue'. He makes the point that this will create unbelievable difficulties for state governments as they are in the course of dealing with employment matters with their very large numbers of employees: police, teachers, nurses and many others.

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