Workplace Relations
As Workplace Relations Spokesperson for the Australian Democrats since 1996, Senator Murray has made a significant contribution to policy and debate in industrial relations. His influence was at a peak when the Democrats held the balance of power, until the Coalition took control of the Senate from July 2005.
With Labor representing the interests of the big unions and the Coalition the interests of big business, the Democrats played a crucial role in ensuring that industrial laws were effective but fair to all sides. Labor's record in opposition is affected by their close ties to unions, as opposed to their more objective approach in government. Consequently Senator Murray and the Democrats were frequently the only non-government party willing to consider further legislative changes in workplace relations on its merits.
Following the brave and far-reaching reform of Commonwealth industrial relations law by the Labor Keating Government in 1993 (the first wave), the Coalition Government developed those principles further with a second wave of major reform in 1996.
When the Labor Party refused to support the Coalition Government's bills, the principal negotiators for over 170 amendments and consequent passage of the Workplace Relations Act were Senators Kernot and Murray, and (then adviser, later Senator) John Cherry. The political and policy debate was fiercely controversial and lengthy, but the outcome permanently delivered productivity gains, real wage gains, simplification and rationalisation of awards, low disputation levels and a more flexible modern industrial relations system.
Senator Murray and the Democrats believe in an industrial relations system that provides for the systematic regulation of employment practices that maximises and balances productivity, jobs growth and job security while ensuring just pay, along with fair conditions and treatment for all employees.
Notably, he has successfully amended many workplace relations bills to ensure better balance and improved processes and outcomes. Of the 18 IR bills passed under the Howard Government from 1996 to 2005 the Democrats negotiated the passage of 12 of them, after amendment.
The unilateral Coalition 2006 WorkChoices legislation blew all that balance and consensus away. The Democrats opposed WorkChoices and have pledged to throw it out along with the confusing over-regulated regime surrounding it. At the heart of our alternative plan is a simplified single unitary system delivering justice, efficiency, productivity and balance.
The key features of the Democrats plan include a single national system to replace the confusion and inefficiency of the existing six overlapping state and federal systems; a strong independent Industrial Relations Commission with restored powers to ratify, vary and determine awards with 16 allowable matters; a strong, independent National Workplace Regulator; a genuine safety net with minimum wages awarded annually; 8 minimum conditions for all workers regardless of employment under statutory or common law agreements and a genuinely flexible bargaining system - union and non union; collective and individual. The way forward must be efficient, flexible, accessible and just, with enforceable checks and balances built in.
Australian Democrats Balloted Workplace Relations Policy
Workplace Relations Documents
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