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

Thank you, Mr President, for the reminder of the requirement to do so. Can I emphasise first that obviously the government does recognise and believe that industrial disputes are serious. That is why in the policy we took the election, Forward with Fairness, we explicitly stated that we will have clear and tough rules in relation to industrial action. We on this side do recognise the impact that industrial action can have on families, on businesses, on communities and, of course, on the broader Australian economy.

As we said prior to the election, the legislation Labor brings forward, consistent with our Forward with Fairness policy, will ensure that industrial action will only be protected in limited circumstances: during bargaining for a collective agreement and following a mandatory secret ballot. In addition, industrial action in pursuit of pattern bargaining will be unlawful, and the regulation of secondary boycotts will stay within the Trade Practices Act. If unprotected action is taken, ready access to effective remedies will be available to affected parties. I would make the point that the transitional legislation that Labor brought forward in the previous session of the parliament, from memory—and I stand to be corrected—did not alter the provisions of the Workplace Relations Act relating to industrial action. So the provisions that exist in federal legislation at this time are provisions that were, in fact, in place under the Howard government.

In relation to the Qantas licensed aircraft maintenance engineers issue, I am aware—and I understand so is Senator Fisher—that protected industrial action has been scheduled for 23 and 24 June. This action is being taken as part of collective agreement negotiations. The Australian government believes that, where possible, any dispute should be resolved directly between the parties and without third-party interference. I take this opportunity to reiterate the government’s position that we would encourage the parties to aim for a speedy resolution in their agreement negotiations. I emphasise again that the Labor Party prior to the election, in our policy of Forward with Fairness and the implementation plan—which were released and exhaustively discussed—made it clear that we would only protect industrial action in the limited circumstances I have outlined, and with a mandatory secret ballot before this occurs. I say again: we will have clear tough rules about industrial action.