Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before moving general business notice of motion No. 757, I ask that the names of Senators Green and Chisholm be added to the motion. At the request of Senators Watt, Green and Chisholm, I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) casualisation and labour hire in the mining industry have exploded under the Coalition Government,

  (ii) thousands of miners are now employed for years as 'permanent casuals', with no job security, leave or other benefits of permanent miners, and

  (iii) the Morrison Government has joined a High Court appeal which seeks to keep those miners as 'permanent casuals'; and

(b) calls on the Government to withdraw from the High Court case, so that 'permanent casual' miners can receive the pay and conditions of permanent miners.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Both the purpose and the substance of the Commonwealth's intervention in the High Court matter are misdescribed in this motion. The government believes employers must pay all their employees their proper entitlements, but it's unfair and economically damaging to require employers to pay twice. The Attorney-General's Department has assessed the cost to the Australian economy of paying twice as between $18 billion and $40 billion. The government has intervened to encourage the proper resolution of the double-payment issue. The government has attempted to legislatively extend award casual conversion provisions to the coal industry, but Labor has refused to support it. Further, ABS data shows the incidence of both casual employment and employment by labour hire firms in the mining sector were at times higher under the former Labor government. In the workplace reform process, the government is also seeking a path to remedy the significant uncertainty created by Labor's failure to insert a definition of 'casual' employment in the Fair Work Act.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I understand Senator Roberts is seeking the call. Senator Roberts, I understand that your microphone is on. We can see you but, unfortunately, we can't hear you. The question is that general business notice of motion No. 757 standing in the name of Senators Watt, Chisholm and Green be agreed to.

Question agreed to.