Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Hansard source

I am instructed it is item 28(4)(d). I can confirm that an employer can only take a greenfields agreement to the Fair Work Commission to be approved under the new process where it has first given each of the unions that are the bargaining representatives a reasonable opportunity to sign-off on the agreement. This requirement in the bill ensures that the unions have sufficient time to consider the agreement before it is submitted to the Fair Work Commission. Only then can an employer put the agreement to the Fair Work Commission. What the employer puts to the union is what the employer has to then put to the Fair Work Commission.

If there are concerns about the consistency, as I believe you have raised, between documents shared, and ultimately filed, the unions have the standing to participate in the commission and clearly have their say. But, ultimately, at the end of the day, there are already checks and balances within the Fair Work Act to ensure this process is followed. But very much so what an employer puts to the union finally is what an employer then has to put to the Fair Work Commission.