The Fair Work Amendment (State Referral and Other Measures) Bill 2009 was listed for the Senate on Thursday. Business lobbyists and political insiders told Workforce that afternoon they believe it would be debated before the Christmas break.
Deputy PM & WR Minister Julia Gillard went on the attack on Bov 25 saying the Opposition’s announced intention to oppose the Bill and propose amendments was part of its “monumental backflip” on its long-standing support for a national IR system. She said the Opposition change of heart could only be explained as part of “its secret plan to bring back Work Choices”. It had not provided her office with any draft amendments to the Bill; and had not taken up an invitation for a departmental briefing on the proposed legislation. The accusations started with a letter from Gillard to WR Shadow Michael Keenan. “I have been able to gather from third-hand sources that your concerns relate to the amendments reference provisions of the Bill. I believe any concerns about the operation of these provisions are misconceived,” she wrote. “It can only be assumed that the Opposition’s plans to stymie this Bill are because it no longer accepts the government’s mandate to get rid of Work Choices and replace it with a national system based on the Fair Work Act,” she said.
Keenan responded with a letter saying Labor’s Senate leadership had not provided a requested list of bills they wanted to debate this week. “We remain very happy to debate it in the Senate as soon as you can get your act together,” Keenan said. Gillard’s letter was followed by a media release entitled ‘Two years on and Liberals still clinging to Work Choices’. “In opposing this legislation, the Liberal Party is confirming its plans to reintroduce AWAs which allow basic wages and conditions to be stripped away,” the statement said. “Business leaders, unions and State and Territory govts are all calling for a national workplace relations system. These calls should be met by support of the Aust Parlt for this crucial and long-awaited economic reform,” she said.
