Debate resumed from 28 November, on motion by Senator Abetz:

That these bills be now read a second time.

upon which Senator Murray had moved by way of an amendment in respect of the Independent Contractors Bill 2006:

At the end of the motion, add “but the Senate:

(a)

notes that this bill does not require contractors to provide for their superannuation payments, workers compensation, and for income insurance, normally mandated to be covered by an employer; and

(b)

calls on the Government:

(i)

to investigate the issue of cost shifting from private to public as a result of shifts in labour markets away from employment relationships to contractual relationships, where the absence of a mandatory requirement for superannuation payments, for workers compensation, and for income insurance to be covered results in a significant new and long-term burden on taxpayers, and

(ii)

to report to the Parliament within the next 12 months outlining what solutions it proposes to this problem”.