Maria Kovacic (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

Minister, no-one is suggesting that we cut wages, but it's an absolute fact that this legislation will create more regulation that Australian businesses, particularly Australian small businesses, need to navigate. Australian small businesses are already spending 15 hours a week navigating compliance and red tape, which is just under 40 per cent of the standard working week. So could you explain to us why the government has ignored the Business Council's warning that the bill will divert resources from productive work into compliance for those businesses.