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

As I was saying, the bill provides for a limited right of a body corporate that has a history of representing certain emergency service volunteers to make submissions on matters that are already before the Fair Work Commission and that arise under the enterprise agreement or workplace determination parts of the Fair Work Act, provided the matter affects, or could affect, the volunteers of a designated emergency management body. So, we have been quite specific and drafted a very narrow provision in relation to the ability of volunteers to make submissions.

The submissions themselves can be made orally or in writing. The conduct of proceedings is obviously governed by the Fair Work Act and is a matter for the Fair Work Commission, and this will not be changed by the bill. Obviously, the weight given to particular submissions is also a matter for the Fair Work Commission.