Laura Jayes
Welcome back. You’re watching AM Agenda. The Albanese Government has been accused of attempting to hide significant costs to business involved in this multi-employer bargaining proposal. It was a pretty fiery debate in Question Time yesterday if you caught it. The Small Business Minister Julie Collins blamed bureaucrats for the mistake in the Industrial Relations Bill. The opposition says the error further emphasises the rushed nature of the Bill. Joining me live now is the Shadow Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Michaelia Cash. Welcome back to the program. It’s been a long time between drinks, good to have you.
Senator Cash
[Inaduible]…..it’s great to see you.
Laura Jayes
Let’s get to the bottom of this. Is there any acceptable form that you would like to see this Bill passed in? Multi-employer bargaining? If they changed the definition of small business, would that be acceptable to you?
Senator Cash
Well given what has been exposed yesterday in particular in relation to the failure to properly cost in the regulatory impact statement the costs on business, this now shows we’re moving from the absurd in terms of the Albanese government rushing this legislation through Parliament to the absolute farcical. I mean, look at the sources that they are utilizing to cost per hourly rates. A modern day spiritual healer? I mean, you’ve got to be kidding me. And then in relation to another footnote for the cost of payroll services per hour, they use bark.com. You click on their most utilized services, dog walking, pet grooming, private investigators, limousine hire, and magicians. What this shows, Laura, is the Minister did not read the Regulatory Impact Statement, well the Minister should take full responsibility for that. But more than that, the complete contempt they have for every employer in this country who has been screaming at them for some time; this legislation will do nothing to get wages moving, will lead to increased strikes and job losses and should be pulled and properly considered over the Christmas break.
Laura Jayes
So what do you say to David Pocock? Because the truth of it is that you don’t have much power in the Senate right now. It’s going to be down to David Pocock and potentially Jacqui Lambie. So what do you say to those two Senators?
Senator Cash
Well, I would say that David has been upfront. He has a real issue with the process, as does Jacqui Lambie, they have a real issue with the impact on small business. If you are dinkum about your concerns for the impact on in particular small businesses in this country, Mr. Albanese needs to be told fairly and squarely, just pause, pause. When you’ve got every employer group in this country standing up and saying this legislation will not increase wages, but what it will do is increase strikes, which could only increase job losses and lower – just remember employers create jobs, governments don’t, governments put in place frameworks – and employers are saying to Mr. Albanese and Mr. Burke, this is the wrong framework that will have a detrimental impact, ultimately, on Australians.
Laura Jayes
Okay, but look at what just happened with Svitzer and its employees. The Fair Work Commission lambasted them for what was, you know, economy damaging action. There’s sections of the economy where employers seem to be taking advantage. Do you agree?
Senator Cash
Absolutely not. And what Tony Burke has conveniently forgotten to tell the Australian people is this agreement expired in 2019. There has been tens and tens and tens of meetings. Svitzer has been very upfront with the union, they will lock in pay and conditions. You know, they’re looking to actually change their work practices. Laura, one of the work practices is no maintenance can be carried out after 5pm on weekends or public holidays. They work under some of the most restricted port operating procedures in this country. We’re not competitive globally on that basis. So Tony Burke, happy to talk about Svitzer, but conveniently forget that the unions have been taking industrial action around Australia time and time again, but he doesn’t talk about that.
Laura Jayes
But this is a multinational company. They made around $380 million profit I think last year, and they’ve asked to – essentially employees are saying they’ve been asked to rollover for conditions, essentially overall see their pay reduced. That doesn’t sound fair.
Senator Cash
And Svitzer completely denies that. As I said, this agreement expired in 2019. Svitzer has done everything possible to work with the unions. But are you telling me that a port should not be able to – a company operating a port should not be able to undertake maintenance after 5pm? Can you imagine in this studio if your maintenance people walked off at 5pm? What would you do? Laura, I would look at changing that procedure.
Laura Jayes
Well we’d be in trouble. Let me tell you that. Sure, but they’re a multinational company. And they run a massive operation and they’re near monopoly status, right. But that example you give me, sure, that doesn’t seem fair or reasonable. But employers are telling me that that’s a red herring.
Senator Cash
Well, that is not what Svitzer is saying. And as I’ve said, they’ve made it very, very clear. They are locking in pay and conditions.
Laura Jayes
Okay. Just want to ask you about Stuart Robert. Do you have any concerns about free advice he gave lobbyists essentially?
Senator Cash
Well, I see that Stuart has issued a statement and he completely denies the allegations that have been made today. But let’s be fair, Laura, Mr. Albanese is now in Government. Mr. Albanese says he was elected on the basis of integrity and transparency. Just look what transpired in the first few weeks of his Government with Minister after Minister after Minister being potentially in breach of Mr. Albanese, his new code of conduct, which, you know, lifted the standards for his Ministers, and what does he say? Absolutely nothing, nothing to see here, everything’s okay. So let me tell you, I will not take lectures when it comes to integrity and transparency from Mr. Albanese when he does nothing in relation to those Ministers. And as I said, Stuart Robert, I understand has issued a statement and has refuted the allegations.
Laura Jayes
Okay, clear. Michaelia Cash, good to have you back on the show. See you soon.
Senator Cash
Great to be back, Laura.
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