A Queensland parliamentary inquiry into fly-in, fly-out arrangements recommends that proposed new minimum accommodation standards "advise against" motelling and hot-bedding arrangements and that the state discrimination statute outlaw job advertisements that exclude workers who live near projects with non-residential workforces.
The federal government has introduced legislation to outlaw "payment for visa" activities and will give the immigration minister the discretion to cancel the visas of those involved in the practice.
Employers have warned a Victorian parliamentary inquiry that they will seek to reduce wages, benefits or hours if a new state-wide portable long service leave scheme is implemented, while unions have provided detailed outlines of model schemes.
Employers are likely to maintain their own paid parental leave schemes even if the Abbott Government's proposed Bill to prevent so-called parent "double-dipping" into government and employer-funded schemes becomes law, according to a key employer group.
The ACTU is seeking to build opposition to cutting weekend penalty rates through a mass door-knock in marginal seats across Australia in mid-September, while employer associations are pushing crossbench senators to back the Government's bill to re-establish the ABCC.
The Senate committee inquiring into the federal government's bargaining bill has handed down a report free of any recommendations to improve it, with Coalition senators wanting it passed without amendment and Labor and the Greens calling for its rejection.
Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party Senator Ricky Muir has supported penalty rates and touched on his former role as a CFMEU shop steward in his first speech to federal parliament, while Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon has used the chamber to attack FWBC head Nigel Hadgkiss's employment history.
A Coalition Senate committee majority is recommending that parliament pass unamended the Federal Government bill that caps the redundancy entitlements of insolvent company employees at 16 weeks, while Labor and the Greens are opposing its passage.
