Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Pocock, and thank you for your work on this bill—in fact, in this area for your entire career, but particularly in relation to this bill. The government considers that employees should be able to stop work when they have finished their paid hours. It's probably something that all of us could do a better job of, especially those of us in public life. It is appropriate that employees are protected from the intrusion of work into their private lives beyond their contracted hours. This is increasingly important as more women and carers form part of the Australian workforce.

One way this issue can be dealt with is through the existing mechanism of enterprise agreements. A growing number of enterprise agreements are addressing this, including through clauses that enable employees to disconnect from digital technologies outside working hours, with employers not to contact employees outside working hours unless in exceptional circumstances or for wellbeing checks. For example, the recently negotiated Queensland state teachers enterprise agreement encourages employees to disconnect from digital technology and communications when their work is done and when they are on holidays except in exceptional circumstances. On the employer side, the education department in Queensland has committed to minimised digital communications with employees to ensure that they have an appropriate work-life balance.

It is also appropriate that award based employees have the chance to switch off from work after hours. The bill adds both job security and gender equality to the modern awards objectives and adds two new expert panels on pay equity and the care and community sector. These important changes will strengthen and clarify the Fair Work Commission's capacity to consider award matters to do with the work-life collision, including such things as the right to disconnect. It is appropriate in our changing world that the Fair Work Commission is required to consider gender equality and job security as essential parts of its role under the amended act.