Inquiry into Workplace Relations Amendment (A Stronger Safety Net) Bill 2007
The Senate has referred the Bill for an Act to Amend
the Workplace Relations Act 1996 and for related purposes (Stronger Safety
Net) to the Senate Standing Committee on
Employment, Workplace Relations and Education for report by 14 June
2007.
This Bill would
amend the Workplace Relations Act 1996 (the Act) to establish a
fairness test for workplace
agreements, and two new statutory agencies - the Workplace Authority and
the Workplace
Ombudsman.
The key amendments
proposed by the Bill would:
- establish the Workplace Ombudsman and the Workplace Authority Director as statutory
office holders appointed by the Governor-General, and create the Office
of the Workplace Ombudsman and the Workplace Authority as statutory
agencies;
- require the
Workplace Authority Director to be satisfied that specified workplace
agreements provide fair compensation in lieu of the modification or
exclusion of protected award conditions that apply to an employee or
employees (the fairness test); and
- establish a
compliance framework to ensure the effective operation of the fairness
test.
Submissions
are due by 4 June 2007 and can be emailed to
eet.sen@aph.gov.au.
For further details phone
(02) 6277 3520 or visit www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/eet_ctte/index.htm.
For further information, contact:
Committee Secretary
Senate Standing Committees on Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia