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

CASH (—) (): Thank you, Chair. What I will say is this: this is, without a doubt, one of the greatest travesties that businesses in Australia will ever face. The difference, quite frankly, between a business with 20 employees and a business with 21 employees is material to this debate. Why? Because a business with 20 or fewer is now excluded from the single stream of multi-employer bargaining. They can, yes, be compelled into the supported stream and they will face costs set out in the government's regulatory impact statement of around $14½ thousand.

But you see, Chair, with this ruling, which I respectfully disagree with, a business with but one more employee will now face costs of in excess of $80,000 per business. Colleagues, I remind you that in the regulatory impact statement it was $75½ thousand until during the committee stage when, amazingly, we were able to pick up that—and I quote the Minister of the Small Business, such is her contempt for small business—'the $5,000 was merely a typo'. That $5,000 means that businesses in Australia, according to the ruling that has been made, with 21 or more employees will now still be roped into—are able to be compelled into—the changes to the single-interest multi-employer bargaining stream against their will. Potentially, they will be bargaining with their competitors. The costs are set out clearly in the regulatory impact statement: $75½ thousand plus the small typo of $5,000.

So to every business in Australia: this bill is going to pass and it's going to pass very soon. But let me be very, very clear on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, Peter Dutton, on behalf of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Susan Ley, and on behalf of every member of the Liberal and National parties in this place and in the other: we will never stop defending you. We will stand by you every single step of the way. The fact is that this ruling says, quite frankly, there is no difference. I say shame on the ruling, quite frankly! Shame on Labor and your contempt for small business and business in Australia—

The CHAIR: Senator Cash, your criticisms of me are totally out of order!

I'm criticising the ruling.

The CHAIR: I ask you to withdraw them.

I withdraw, Chair. I am merely criticising the fact that, with this ruling, we are unable now to stand up for businesses in Australia with 200, 175, 150, 100, 75, 50 or 25 employees. On behalf of all Liberals and Nationals across Australia, the fight doesn't stop. We've got your back and we'll stand up for you every day of the week.

The CHAIR: Senator Pocock, you have the call.