Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak in relation to the government's proposed industrial relations bill, which I think represents a great threat to businesses—small and medium-sized businesses in particular—in my home state of Queensland. Yesterday there were questions asked in this place about how, in the regulatory impact statement, the government came to the view that small and medium-sized businesses would be able to get a consultant to help them through this industrial relations maze at $175 an hour. The government has produced this regulatory impact statement in terms of the impact of this bill on small businesses and medium-sized businesses. It has assumed that, for $175 an hour, you can get a consultant to help you go through this maze that you've been compelled to go through.

Numerous sources were quoted, but I did something obvious. I actually rang a small business that provides these services. How astounding! I actually rang someone who provides these services. Do you know what they told me their services cost? A junior associate costs $350 an hour—twice as much as the assumption contained in the government's regulatory impact statement. $350 an hour. Multiply the cost on small and medium-sized businesses by a factor of two. If you want to get someone more senior—if you're up against a Senator Tony Sheldon in his previous life, a Senator Tim Ayres in his previous life or a Senator Raff Ciccone in his previous life—you're looking at between $400 and $500 an hour. This bill needs scrutiny. It needs more time. This Senate needs time to do its job. I call upon the government to get this legislation right.