Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Senator Arbib. Given the minister, in response to Senator Cash, refused to confirm the statements of the Deputy Prime Minister that no worker would be worse off under the award modernisation process, does the minister at least stand by the statements of the Deputy Prime Minister that, under the award modernisation process, no costs for employers will increase?

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I finished by talking about the reform that award modernisation will bring and the benefits it will bring to business, especially small business. This has been a complaint that Australian businesses have had for many decades. They have talked about the thousands of awards, the criss-cross all over the country, the duplication and the red tape and they have requested a simpler system. That is what award modernisation is about. That is what we are attempting to do: the more than 2,400 awards coming down to under 150. That is going to bring absolute benefits to employers. As Senator Fisher knows because she has asked these questions many times, we have been working with industry and business to ensure that this is done in an orderly and responsible fashion.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Wait a minute, Senator Arbib. Because of the noise around you, people cannot hear your answer. You may continue now. I draw your attention to the question. You have 46 seconds remaining.

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We have been working with employers—big business, small business and medium-sized business—to ensure that this is done in a very responsible and methodical fashion, because these issues are extremely complex. I assume that is why the Liberal Party decided not to deal with them for their 12 years in government. They claim to be the champions of reform. They claim to be the champions of microeconomic reform but when they had the chance to act they failed. We have provided a full five-year phase-in period so that employers and employees would gradually move from old state awards to a new modern award. I am happy to say that the AIRC has adopted— (Time expired)

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question, given the minister would not confirm that there would be no increased cost to employers. Is the minister aware of representations from agricultural and country show societies, whose core trading times are almost exclusively on weekends, that the government’s award rationalisation has the potential to effectively destroy hundreds of shows, thousands of jobs and millions in turnover for them? Will the government take the same action to protect agricultural and country shows by recognising core trading times, as it did for the restaurant and catering sector?

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am glad that Senator Birmingham has actually mentioned the restaurant and catering industry, because the government did work cooperatively with that organisation to ensure that the award modernisation process worked for that sector. We have had numerous discussions—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I need to hear the answer.

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They do not like actually hearing the answers today. They are off on their own game plan. We have been working with the horticultural sector and we have also been working with the agricultural show sector to ensure that the award modernisation program does not adversely affect their operations. That will be work that we will continue. We are doing this in a manner that is providing balance and fairness for workers and employers. That is what award modernisation is about, and there will be savings for businesses at every level. (Time expired)

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. I note the minister’s last words that there will be savings for businesses at every level. Will he give an assurance and match the Deputy Prime Minister’s earlier commitment that no business will face increased costs? And, if he will not give that assurance, how many other industries or groups, like the agricultural and country show sectors, will be disadvantaged by award rationalisation? Will the minister stand by the words and the assurances of the Deputy Prime Minister?

Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sherry interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sherry, it is difficult to hear the questioner when you are shouting. Senator Birmingham, repeat the last part of that question.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The last part of the question was very clear. Will the minister stand by the words of the Deputy Prime Minister that no business will be worse off?

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I have said in my answer, the government is working closely with business and the horticultural and agricultural sectors to ensure that award modernisation proceeds smoothly, to ensure that costs are minimised and that employees benefit from the process. This is a reform that has taken too long to get to and this government is proud of the work that we are doing: 2,500 awards down to fewer than 150. That is a reform that is worthwhile. That is in the interest of the country, business and employees. This will add to the productive capacity of this country. I am proud of what the Deputy Prime Minister is doing. I am proud of the reform. Again, Labor is acting on something that the coalition thought for 12 years was too hard.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.