Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

I believe the answer to my question on what is meant by 'prevailing pay and conditions in the relevant industry'—given my previous question, 'Is it the intention of the government to cover all industries where employees are paid just above the modern award minimum rates?'—is that it is left to the discretion of the Fair Work Commission.

Is the government giving any guidance to the commission, given that there are now two ways in which you can enter the supported bargaining stream and given that the minister is able to make a declaration—so you'd think the minister might have, in his own mind, an idea of what the guidance is—about 'prevailing pay and conditions in the relevant industry'? Or is it literally going to be left to the Fair Work Commission themselves to make the interpretation?