Senate debates Questions on Notice
Fair Work Act (Question No. 2527)
Eric Abetz Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, upon notice, on 6 November 2012:
With reference to the Fair Work Act Review report titled Towards more productive and equitable workplaces, which states that 'The Panel was disinclined to recommend legislative changes where there was a reasonable prospect that judicial interpretation of existing provisions would resolve the problem': can examples be provided where the Review specifically did not consider issues because of a 'reasonable prospect' of judicial interpretation.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation
The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:
After considering certain matters, the Review Panel, in some instances did not make a recommendation for change to the relevant provisions of the Fair Work Act 2009 because there was a reasonable prospect that judicial interpretation of the relevant provisions would develop to resolve matters raised as part of the Review.
Specific examples in the Review Report - Towards more productive and equitable workplaces: An evaluation of the Fair Work legislation - include: