Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Hansard source

At the outset can I say that the amendment is undoubtedly well meaning but in practical terms is only likely to add to the complexity and to increase the potential for unproductive litigation and associated costs. The amendment may be difficult to enforce in practice; that is, establishing that an association is free from employer control or improper influence is unlikely to be a straightforward matter. I am reminded that indeed in the trade union world there have been examples of certain trade union officials being provided with beach houses by certain elements of the employer sector. Given those circumstances, if that can befall a trade union one wonders how you would then control that in the trade union context let alone in the context of any other organisation. However, what I will say on behalf of the government is that if it does become evident that this is a genuine problem then we as a government would be willing to revisit the position. But, quite frankly, I think it is very much an academic issue, one that is unlikely to arise, and we as a government remain committed to allowing employees maximum flexibility in their choice of workplace representation.