Labor’s latest industrial relations reforms risk employers being forced to let staff go, Member for Mallee Anne Webster says.
“The government needs to focus on keeping Australians employed, not appeasing the unions”, Dr Webster said.
The Albanese Labor Government’s proposed industrial relations changes will make life tougher for Australian businesses by increasing costs, complexity and red tape and will likely lead to job losses.
These changes will impact many different industries and small business.
“Construction companies in Mallee fear these laws will make it harder for them to continue to employ people,” Dr Webster said.
Mildura builder Paul Lock says:
“It takes the gloss off running a small business. Typical Labor policies: red tape and a militant building commission who are doing drive-by spot audits right now. These inspectors don’t know anything about building. I have had 3 audits in a week, but they don’t know what they’re talking about. It is all complex now. They are putting the brakes on the building industry. What we need is a stable economy, not the roller coaster that we’re experiencing. The fact is, if you get a good worker you pay them more to keep them. We don’t need government controlling everything. Business can work it out themselves.”
Dr Webster said the Albanese Labor Government does not care about the job creators in Australia, only their union paymasters.
“The changes will cost employers up to $9 billion in extra wages over the next decade according to the Government’s own estimates – not every business will survive that,” she said.
“In the trucking industry this will spell the end of owner/drivers being able to competitively tender their services and compete for work. They won’t have the flexibility to set their rates – it is effectively a revival of the failed Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal.
Dr Webster said the complex reforms proposed by this Bill were far from ‘very modest’ as Employment Minister Tony Burke describes them.
“This sort of complexity and the costs associated, will be jarring on small businesses and will only add to Australia’s cost of living crisis as businesses are forced to raise prices to meet new wage demands,” Dr Webster said.

“Small businesses seek to employ and properly reward their workers. They seek to innovate and adopt new technology. They need changes that enhance productivity and opportunity, not create confusion and send them broke.”
Labor’s changes are also set to impact Mallee’s casual workforce – with the legislation in effect discouraging casual employment and making it too risky for many businesses to even consider.
Under the reforms the definition of casual employee will be changed to prohibit anyone from being engaged as a casual if they work regular hours. A court can order that the employee was “always” not a casual from the time of their engagement.
Dr Webster said these reforms take the choice away from employers and employees all for the Albanese Labor Government to meet the union agenda.
The Bill will amend the Fair Work Act to enable unions to exercise right of entry powers without any notice whenever it relates to “wage underpayment”. To gain immediate entry, the union only needs to assert to the Fair Work Commission that they “suspect” a case of wage underpayment. No evidence is required to make their case.
“The National Farmers Federation is right to be concerned about the new rights of entry without notice, which would allow union representatives to enter farms unannounced,” Dr Webster said.
“For most farmers, their workplace is also their family home. The farm is the kids’ backyard. There are safety and biosecurity considerations, union officials should not be able to waltz in unannounced.
“These changes will no doubt be welcomed by the unions but it is Mallee employers and employees who will carry the burden.”