MEDIA RELEASE – OUTRAGEOUS COST OF BARGAINING UNDER NEW IR LAWS REVEALED

SENATOR THE HON MICHAELIA CASH

SHADOW MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS

DEPUTY LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION IN THE SENATE

SENATOR FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA

MEDIA RELEASE

22 November 2022

OUTRAGEOUS COST OF BARGAINING UNDER NEW IR LAWS REVEALED

The cost of bargaining under the Albanese Government’s radical shake-up of the industrial relations system was revealed today as $14,638 for a small business and $75,148 for a medium business.

The alarming numbers are contained in the Government’s Regulatory Impact Statement related to their controversial industrial relations Bill and were the subject of questions asked by Senator Cash at the Senate inquiry into the Bill.

“These sorts of costs, particularly for small and medium businesses are costs that many will not be able to afford,’’ Senator Cash said.

“A medium sized business is defined as having more than 15 employees. You could have a situation where an employer with 16 staff is forced into multi-employer bargaining with costs of $75,000 or more – it’s quite outrageous,’’ Senator Cash said.

Senator Cash also questioned how the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations arrived at the cost of bargaining consultants, which they put at $175 an hour.

Footnote 70 in the RIS says the Department used an article entitled: “How much should I charge as a consultant in Australia” from a website called authentic.com.au to calculate this cost.

The author of the article, Benjamin J Harvey is described on the website as: “A cross between business strategist, modern day spiritual healer, and self-development expert, Benjamin J Harvey is as comfortable working with Shamans to Strategists, Psychics to Sales Reps, Healers to Home Makers, Buddhists to Businessmen and Meditators to Mediators.”

Senator Cash asked departmental officials who at the Department Googled: ‘How much should I charge as a consultant.’ The question was taken on notice.

“This really shows the rushed nature of this quite outrageous legislation. If this was the only source for this part of the costings then I think that is totally inadequate. There is a strong possibility the real bargaining cost for small and medium businesses will be significantly higher.’’ Senator Cash said.

ENDS