Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Early Childhood Education) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill may proceed without formalities and be now read a first time.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a first time.

by leave—I move:

That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the bill, allowing it to be considered during this period of sittings.

I table a statement of reasons justifying the need for this bill to be considered during these sittings and seek leave to have the statement incorporated into Hansard.

Leave granted.

The statement read as follows—

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2026 AUTUMN SITTINGS

FAIR WORK AMENDMENT (FAIRER FUEL) BILL 2026

Purpose of the Bill

The Bill would amend the Fair Work Act 2009 to enable the Fair Work Commission to make road transport contractual chain orders in an expedited manner to respond to circumstances where there are imminent and significant negative, national impacts on the road transport industry, but only where the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations has deemed it in the public interest and has expressly authorised the Commission to do so.

Reasons for urgency

Ongoing conflict in the Middle East has increased fuel prices in Australia and internationally. Fuel is one of the largest costs faced by Australian trucking businesses. However, the road transport industry is characterised by road transport contractual chains, in which large clients at the 'apex' of the chain hold significant power in determining transport costs. In this context, road transport contractors at the end of the chain have limited capacity to raise the rates for their transport services to reflect surging fuel prices, which impacts business viability.

Chapter 3B of the Fair Work Act enables the Fair Work Commission to make road transport contractual chain orders which set minimum standards for businesses in a supply chain. A mandatory minimum 6-month period precedes the making of such orders. Enabling orders to be made in an expedited manner in limited circumstances would allow road transport contractors to recoup their costs and maintain business viability in a volatile environment.

Question agreed to.