State Government Might As Well Remove WA State Industrial Relations Commission

The $800,000 Amendola review of the state industrial system has left it way open for the State Government to bring back the worst of Work Choices to Western Australia.

Alison Xamon MLC, the Greens spokesperson for Industrial Relations commented that if the Barnett Government were serious about ‘modernising’ and ‘harmonising’ the federal and State systems - as the Government’s proposed response to the review states - then they should start with coming clean on which parts of Work Choices the State Government is seeking to bring back.

“I am concerned that a recommendation to introduce a set of minimum State Employment Standards, and restrict access to the Tribunal  will undermine the Federal Labor Government’s already conservative measures to protect workers from unfair treatment at the hands of employers,” Ms Xamon said.

“This Government seems to be toying with the distinct possibility of bringing back WorkChoices, despite the electorate having made it clear it is simply not interested.”

Since WorkChoices was introduced the State Industrial Relations Commission has seen a dramatic drop off in the number of employees now subject to the state industrial system which now mainly covers public sector employees and unincorporated small businesses.  The trend nationally is for State Industrial Commissions to cede their authority to the Federal system.

“Considering the massive reduction in cases now appearing in front of the State Industrial Relations Commission, coupled with the trend to a single national system, the question has to be asked, why is this Government seemingly so intent on retaining our State system?”

“Is it because they are keen to re-create the worst of WorkChoices or the Court Government’s “Third Wave”?  Both of which proved to be so detrimental to the rights of average Australian workers?”

“If the Government is as keen to cut expenditure as it claims then why doesn’t it simply abolish the State Industrial system entirely?  It seems extraordinarily inconsistent.”

 Ms Xamon said she was yet to read a single positive response from any organisation to the Amendola review, including the Government’s own response.

“After waiting for months and months for this review to be released the Government is still not being transparent about its intentions for workers.”