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

The government policy commitment is to a significant process of award modernisation over a two-year period to the end of 2009 to ensure modern, simple awards which are relevant to the industries and occupations they cover. We have also committed that awards would then be reviewed every four years to ensure they remain relevant. We do not believe the amendment really deals with the objects of award modernisation; rather, it intends to deal with—and in fact this is what Senator Siewert’s comments were directed towards—the maintenance of the awards system. That is a matter, including in terms of the commitment I have indicated, that will be dealt with in the substantive workplace relations legislation.

Question negatived.