Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Of course, Safe Work Australia does not exist until the legislation is prescribed. The legislation then details how it stands up after that point. The usual process—and this also happened under the previous government—is that when an agency is prescribed, the FMA agency will then, through the Department of Finance and Deregulation, provide that necessary prescription by legislation. It is a usual course of action to undertake. I have stated it numerous times, both in my speech on the second reading and here today, that you do not need a belt and braces approach. This legislation was designed so that you would not need to take the belt and braces approach that you are suggesting. It was designed to facilitate the process that part 7 of the FMA Act would then apply. That is the usual course, having agencies under the FMA Act. I make it plain: it happened under the previous government and it will also happen under this government. It is not unusual. It should not come as any surprise.