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4/02/2008
News Item Expect a hybrid approach The Federal Government is expected to give the nod to a hybrid approach to State and Federal IR laws after Friday's head of States meeting. Speaking at the meeting, deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard said ministers has endorsed Labor's ''forward and fair'' policy. ''We've agreed to work together on the next bit of legislation... to make sure that legislation is in the parliament as soon as possible,'' she said. While both the NSW and Queensland governments are keen to see their powers continue uninterrupted, critics say that if state interests prevail, the situation could worse, for business. Shadow minister for Employment, Business and Workplace Relations Julie Bishop says the Federal Government is ''caving into NSW government demands.'' ''We now have the NSW model, not the Rudd model,'' she said in a statement. The NSW report, produced by UNSW academic and barrister Professor George Williams, covers sole traders, partners, contractors, not-for-profit groups and the public service. The Commonwealth jurisdiction currently does not reach to areas, such as occupational health and safety, workers compensation, public holidays, payment of wages, industrial action in essential services and regulation of industrial organisations. Professor Williams earlier told Mysmallbusiness that he believed that the recommendations ''will be a better outcome.'' ''This will simply provide a vehicle. Take the High School education sector (not in Victoria).'' ''There are different private high schools competing with Commonwealth or State laws depending upon whether they're incorporated or not. It's all determined by your legal status.'' ''Some people even need constitutional law advice and that includes not-for-profit groups, which struggle with fundraising and in particular, the Catholic church and the local government which are largely incorporated. This is the sort of things that should be eradicated in my view.'' Acting CEO of Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Peter Anderson argues that the outcome is ambiguous. ''The objective of a single national system is widely supported but the Williams model is flawed and it won't deliver the simple or efficient system that all government should advocate. ''While business understands that negotiation between governments is necessary, those negotiations should draw in both union and business views before any enduring change is made.'' http://smallbusiness.smh.com.au/starting/legal/expect-a-hybrid-approach-911440427.html |
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