WA:Business pressures Barnett on IR inaction

AAP General News (Australia)
08-30-2011
WA:Business pressures Barnett on IR inaction

By Josh Jerga

PERTH, Aug 30 AAP - The West Australian government is under pressure from business
and the opposition to reveal what changes it will make to the state's industrial relations
(IR) system.

After WA Premier Colin Barnett junked an $850,000 review of the IR system by lawyer
Steven Amendola earlier this year, the state is undertaking a second review.

Marcia Kuhne, from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA (CCI), said the government
began work earlier this year to determine what changes it would make to IR.

"We were somewhat alarmed when we heard they were not going to do anything with (the
review by) Amendola, but the minister has assured us the government is committed to reform,"

Ms Kuhne told AAP.

Ms Kuhne said IR reform was long overdue, with many people unhappy about the government's
inaction.

WA is the only state that has not signed up to the national workplace relations system,
but Commerce Minister Simon O'Brien indicated last week it was seeking to harmonise its
laws with the federal system.

Under the national Fair Work Act, small businesses are exempt from unfair dismissal
claims by workers who have been employed for less than 12 months.

But in WA there are no exemptions, causing confusion among unincorporated small businesses
covered by WA's IR laws, Ms Kuhne said

People who should be directing claims to the federal system were taking them to the
state industrial relations commission, which did not have jurisdiction to hear them, she
said.

She also said the state's more than 200 awards were out of date and should be harmonised
with the federal system.

Under the state laws, unions can enter worksites alleging a safety breach without providing
any proof, Ms Kuhne said.

"It's very easy for a union to enter a construction site and work around the sites,
perhaps to sign members up, on the allegation of a safety breach," she said.

Opposition IR spokesman Fran Logan said after being "embarrassed by the farce surrounding
the rejection of the $850,000 Amendola review", the government must announce what changes
it will make.

"Almost three years into its term and we are still no closer to knowing what plans
the Barnett Government has for industrial relations in WA," he said.

Mr Barnett refused to answer questions about possible changes on Tuesday but said he
wanted to preserve "consistency".

"I don't think we need to confuse employers or employees," he said.

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KEYWORD: INDUSTRIAL WA

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