Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I move opposition amendments (1) to (3), as circulated in my name, together:

(1) Schedule 1, item 31, page 9 (line 28), omit paragraph 16B(1)(c).

(2) Schedule 1, item 31, page 9 (after line 29), after paragraph 16B(1)(d), insert:

(da) 1 member representing small business;

(db) 2 members representing regional, rural and remote Australia;

(3) Schedule 1, item 31, page 9 (after line 32), after subsection 16B(2), insert:

(2A) In appointing the members of the Ministerial Advisory Board, the Minister must ensure that the members include a representative from each State, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.

These amendments are designed to alter the composition of the ministerial advisory board outlined in the bill. The coalition does not think it is appropriate to mandate that four positions are dedicated to employee organisations—or, in other words, to the unions. The bill as it stands will ensure that these members are appointed over others we consider more important in this specific context.

Under the arrangements we propose through these amendments, the government would still be able to appoint officials from unions as general members of the board, but no future minister or government would be mandated to do so. In their stead, we believe it is more appropriate that one member represents small business and another two represent regional, rural and remote Australia. Small businesses and our regions are on the front line of skills and labour force shortages. They are doing it really tough right now. The important voices of small business and the regions should be able to provide direct advice to the commissioner of Jobs and Skills Australia and the minister. Our amendments would allow them to do just that.

Furthermore, our amendments legislate that each state and territory must be represented within the composition of the mandated board members. We believe ensuring a geographical spread within the discussed mandated appointments is desirable. Skills and labour force shortages are unique in each region of our country, and we believe they should be able to bring those differing perspectives to the forefront of the commissioner's and the minister's considerations.

I call on the crossbench to support our amendments to the government's amendment. We are not precluding union representation on the board altogether but, rather, removing the mandate for it. I also believe our amendments make the board more balanced and will allow Jobs and Skills Australia to consider the advice of those disproportionately impacted by skills and labour force technology.

See this speech in context