Government defeated in Senate on IR Bill inquiry

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s radical
industrial relations Bill will not pass through Parliament this year after the
government was defeated in a vote in the Senate today.

Shadow Minister for
Employment and Workplace Relations Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash moved a
motion to have a Senate inquiry into the Bill report back in February next
year. The Government wanted it to report back in November.

Senate crossbenchers
supported Senator Cash’s motion.

“Tony Burke and the
government had an embarrassing loss in the Senate today when my motion was
supported,’’ she said.

“Mr Burke had been
clear that he wanted to ram this Bill through the parliament this year,’’
Senator Cash said.

“There was
absolutely no need to rush this process because as Mr Burke knows most of the
measures in the Bill would not be enacted until the middle or even the end of
next year,’’ she said.

“I applaud
crossbench Senators for supporting the motion which gives the inquiry enough
time to properly examine this complex and costly Bill,’’ she said.

“We will now get an
inquiry that will be able to travel around the country to hear from all
affected stakeholders,’’ Senator Cash said.

“It is
important that the Senate properly examines a Bill which will radically change
the industrial relations landscape in this country,’’ she said.

“This Bill and its
explanatory memorandum contain almost 800 pages and it was absolutely
ridiculous that Mr Burke wanted a rushed inquiry process,’’ Senator Cash said.

“We only got to see
the Bill on Monday after a so-called consultation process shrouded in secrecy
and gag orders,’’ she said.

“At least now
everything is out in the open and we can scrutinise this Bill,’’ Senator Cash
said.