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

As I am advised, the AIRC are able to consider whether or not they wish to keep those. It is ultimately a matter for the Australian Industrial Relations Commission to determine. It is worth going back to the concerns that this provision is intended to introduce a new layer of regulation. That is one of the areas in which some in the industry have expressed concerns. As I said, it is not intended that this provision will allow for duplication of any other state safety laws included in modern awards. That is why we placed on the record that the minister’s award modernisation request will make that clear. It is about enabling the provision. It also contains the New South Wales award to deal with those matters that I indicated earlier. Of course, it leaves open the question of whether the AIRC wish to deal with it in any way for other states.