Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

What I'll say now applies to each of the groups that Senator Scarr's asked about already. The bill is very clear that the commission needs to take into account, in any cost decision, the relative power of the parties. The commission would be required to take into account whether a respondent—I can't remember the exact wording in the legislation—has the resources, is large enough, to be able to bear those costs. That is the attempt of the government to ensure that this is done in an equitable manner.