Peter Garrett MP
Member for Kingsford Smith
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Reconciliation and the Arts

“Vigorous debate in the Parliament this week has thrown light on the alarming amount of ‘devil in the detail’ in the industrial relations legislation.

In my speech to the House I highlighted the inevitable outcome of drastic changes to our system. In NSW alone there are some 40,000 employees covered by the Club Employees (State) Award, many of whom live in my electorate.

This Award provides an entitlement of time and half for Saturday work, under the new law the Award will no longer exist. Instead, employees will be forced onto the Federal Award which contains a provision for time and a quarter for Saturday work; this will see a reduction in wages of about $3.10 per hour on current rates.

This is a clear breach of the Prime Minister’s commitment that wages will not fall under the new system.

The complex nature of these laws makes them incomprehensible to ordinary Australians. No case has been made by the Government for the balance of power to be so unfairly tipped in favour of the employer.

The Labor party has argued for the legislation to be rejected, instead the government saw fit to gag debate and send it to the Senate for consideration.

This is a direct attack by the Howard Government on fairness and equity in the workplace.” Mr Garrett said today.

Contact: Kate Pasterfield