Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Hansard source

You anticipated my response in terms of your reference to the award modernisation request. I would make the point that the extension of awards to new classes of employees has, under various iterations of federal industrial law and state industrial law, traditionally been something that the industrial tribunals have done. It is not a new concept.

We have made it clear in section 2(a) of the award modernisation request that the commission is not precluded from extending coverage to new industries or occupations where work performed by those employees is similar to that conducted by employees who are traditionally covered by awards. The government’s position sufficiently addresses the issue you have raised with your amendment.