Mining lobby rails against ‘extreme’ workplace reforms

The Minerals Council of Australia describes the Federal Government’s industrial relations reforms as some of the most extreme, interventionist workplace changes ever proposed in Australia. "The changes will inflict immense harm to the economy, the weight of which will fall on the shoulders of the most vulnerable Australians who will pay more for groceries, housing, and energy," MCA chief executive officer Tania Constable said. "The MCA calls on the Albanese Government to rip up this bill and head back to the drawing board." The government’s Closing Loopholes Bill was introduced to Parliament this week. Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke said it centred on closing the loopholes that undercut pay and conditions for workers. The four major elements of the Closing Loopholes Bill are: Criminalising wage theft Introducing minimum standards for workers in the gig economy Closing the forced permanent casual worker loophole Closing the labour hire loophole. "The government announced these policies when we were in Opposition two-and-a-half years ago and we took them to the Australian people last year," he said. "The introduction of this Bill follows months of extensive consultations, including with employer groups and unions." Ms Constable said doing business in Australia would get substantially harder as a result of the proposed changes. "For many small businesses, this new catalogue of imposts and reams of additional complexity will be too much to bear," Ms Constable said. "For Australian mining, this excessive burden and workforce rigidity will put the industry’s ability to deliver the full economic and social benefit from the emerging clean energy mining boom, under serious threat. "The Australian economy is heading into uncharted waters, with global competition heightening, China’s long-run economic growth beginning to ease, and the battle for ascendancy in the clean energy transition heating up. "And it does so against the backdrop of subdued economic growth, stubbornly high inflation, rising unemployment and an aging population that will put ongoing stress on government budgets and the funding of vital services. "The nation’s ongoing prosperity is under assault. "So why now would it be wise to place even greater restraints on the Australian economy? Why would it be prudent, at this very time, to increase the burden on Australia’s productive workplaces and threaten investment and job creation? "This is bad policy made even worse by its terrible timing."

Mining lobby rails against ‘extreme’ workplace reforms

Industry Queensland

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