Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations, upon notice, on 24 August 2011:

With reference to Fair Work Australia:

(1) What has been the total cost of providing conciliation services for:

(a) unfair dismissal;

(b) adverse action; and

(c) other matters.

(2) What have been the sizes of the businesses (by any available measure) in each particular area mentioned in (1).

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

The answer to the honourable senator's question is as follows:

(1) (a) The total cost of providing conciliation services for unfair dismissal applications cannot be precisely identified. The total remuneration cost for conciliators for the 2010-11 financial year was $3.325M (including leave accruals, superannuation etc). Other costs incurred cannot be solely attributed to the conduct of conciliations, such as administrative support and accommodation, which have not been included for the purpose of this answer. (b) and (c) Conferences for adverse action and other matters (including in some instances unfair dismissal) are provided by members of the tribunal as part of their statutory duties under the Fair Work Act 2009. These costs cannot be separately identified.

(2)    In relation to unfair dismissal matters, for the period 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011 where matters were conciliated, the size of businesses based on information provided by the respondent, where so provided, were as recorded in the table below.

* Unknown as information not provided or number of employees in dispute

Parties to proceedings under sections 365 and 372 of the Fair Work Act and other (not related to unfair dismissal) matters before Fair Work Australia are not required to provide information about the size of their businesses.

Fair Work Australia is unable to provide information about the sizes of the businesses (by any available measure) in relation to adverse action and other matters.