Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Hansard source

I've circulated a revised amendment on sheet 1994 relating to appointments to the Jobs and Skills Australia advisory board. I think that, if this bill was drafted to create a board with four members from employer groups and eight members from unions, more than a few people in the building would be screaming bloody murder. Likewise, if this bill was drafted to create a board with eight members from employer groups and just four from unions, we'd be right to call this a stitch-up. It would be clear to everyone that such an arrangement would be unfair, yet in the absence of my amendment this is what could happen.

My concern is that, if there's too much discretion left to any future minister to appoint someone from any background, it's possible a future minister might be able to use that discretion to appoint people with interests already represented on the board and, in doing so, rebalance its tripartite character. I don't think it's in the country's interests to have the board stacked in favour of one interest group over another. If you want everyone to be heard, you make sure nobody is given the biggest microphone.

My amendment makes sure that this minister and any future minister can't use their discretion to appoint people to the board whose interests are already fully represented. Having said that, I've revised the amendment following consultation to remove the restriction on the minister being able to appoint someone who represents a member of a peak employing body. I've done this because I'm told the minister is already restricted from doing this. I want to confirm that that's the case and, if so, what the restriction is.