Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash

Shadow Attorney-General

Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations

Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate

Senator for Western Australia

MEDIA RELEASE

4 SEPTEMBER 2023

LABOR’S COMPLEX NEW LAWS BAD FOR AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSES

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.

Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Senator Michaelia Cash said: “The reality is that the changes proposed by this Bill are far from ‘very modest’ as Employment Minister Tony Burke describes them.’’

“This is a radical reordering of Australian workplace law which every business organisation in this country has pleaded with the Government not to go ahead with,’’ she said.

“Mr Burke does not care that the job creators of Australia are telling him that it will be harder to keep people in jobs,’’ Senator Cash said.

“This sort of complexity and the costs associated with it will be impossible for small businesses to deal with,’’ she said.

“This will only add to Australia’s cost of living crisis,’’ she said.

“The Government has failed to demonstrate how these new laws will make it easier for businesses to employ people, increase productivity, create a higher skilled workforce, or raise living standards,’’ Senator Cash said.

“Mr Burke himself has admitted that the new laws will increase costs for consumers for everyday services they have come to rely on,’’ she said.

“Make no mistake about this legislation all about pleasing Labor’s union pay masters. The Albanese Government is fulfilling a long list of union demands and delivering on the union’s agenda,’’ Senator Cash said.

“Why attack gig workers, labour hire companies, tradies and other independent contractors?” she said.

“These are people who want to work in their own time and on their own terms. They want to fit work around life, not have to fit life around work,’’ Senator Cash said.

“The answer is that commonly none of these groups have any real interest in joining unions,’’ she said.

“We all want Australians to have safe, high wage, sustainable jobs, and to be rewarded for their hard work and experience,’’ Senator Cash said.

“But these laws will result in fewer jobs, more costs to Australian businesses and a weaker economy,’’ she said.

“The laws will tie Australian businesses in more red tape and make it more difficult to hire workers,’’ Senator Cash said.

ENDS