Mark Furner (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Ludwig, the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Can the minister explain to the Senate how the government’s new framework for industrial relations in Australia will provide greater job security for Australian workers?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Furner for his question. I note his interest, particularly in Queensland, in the new industrial relations system. At the 2007 election, the Rudd government promised to bring in a fair and flexible workplace relations system that would provide job security for all workers, unlike Work Choices. Australians rejected the Liberal Party’s industrial relations extremism that allowed employees to be sacked for no reason at all. What this government is doing is delivering on its commitment to bring stability back to the Australian workforce. What they do need is certainty and stability in workplace relations, not the instability that Work Choices brought. The global financial crisis and global recession are causing job losses all around the world. The Rudd government has been absolutely up-front about the fact that the global recession will impact upon jobs here. That is why we are doing all we can to limit the impact on Australian workers and restore fairness and job security to our workplace relations through this new era of industrial relations.

We have listened to the Australian community and our new system will provide workers with a fair and comprehensive safety net of employment conditions, include special provisions for unfair dismissal, ensure fair enterprise bargaining and ensure all Australian employees are entitled to redundancy. Under Work Choices, Australian workers were sacked, as I have said, for no reason at all. And, yes, they do hang their heads in shame about that. Under Work Choices, Australian workers had their redundancies stripped away without a cent of compensation. This government legislated for the National Employment Standards to apply to all Australian employees and to ensure that redundancy is provided for in every agreement. We know that the Rudd government believes that Australian workers are entitled to a fair go. (Time expired)

Mark Furner (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister inform the Senate how the Rudd government’s workplace relations framework will protect the privacy of employees in accordance with the Privacy Act and ensure all employees are covered by the new system of industrial relations in Australia?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Furner for his supplementary question. What this government is committed to is getting the balance right in the workplace and providing fairness and flexibility to workers and their employers. We have a keen interest in making sure that awards are complied with and that dodgy employers do not get away with underpaying employees. We will strike the balance by ensuring very strict requirements on the use of any documents obtained by a permit holder—that is, a person who is entitled to inspect those records or who is investigating the breach of the award or the law. Privacy Act requirements apply and any misuse results in a significant fine and the cancellation of the permit. This means that the permit holder can only investigate documents directly relevant to investigating a breach of the law. Unions have had a longstanding role in investigating suspected breaches of awards and agreements and in taking recovery action to make sure that employees are paid correctly. The new framework does get the balance right between those rights. (Time expired)

Mark Furner (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question of Senator Ludwig.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Furner, ignore the interjections and ask your question.

Mark Furner (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister address claims reported in the press that the new workplace relations framework will be threatened by the opposition?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Liberal Party introduced a system of workplace relations that misrepresented Australian values, and when the public had their chance to vote it out they did. The Liberals have never got over that, because they really do believe in Work Choices. Let them stand over there and say to their heart’s content that Work Choices is dead, because they do not believe it. I heard Senator Abetz use that phrase. I am not convinced that he said it with any great meaning; the doubt is still there in my mind. Last year, the Leader of the Opposition declared that Work Choices was dead. He told the Australian, ‘Labor took a proposal to change unfair dismissal laws to the election and won, so we must respect that,’ but now he wants to make amendments to unfair dismissal laws. (Time expired)

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.