FED: Reith dampens speculation on award abolition

AAP General News (Australia)
08-08-1999
FED: Reith dampens speculation on award abolition

By Rosalind Mathieson

CANBERRA, Aug 8 AAP - The federal government today moved to dampen speculation it intended
to eventually scrap awards as part of its ongoing workplace reform agenda.

Workplace Relations Minister Peter Reith insisted the industrial watchdog, which oversees
award matters, would remain in some fashion.

He was responding to questions on whether further workplace changes would result in
Australia heading towards the United Kingdom model of no minimum wage, or a United States
model with a minimum wage but no award wage.

"I think looking at the UK and the US is very interesting and it is not irrelevant but
Australia's system is Australia's, we are developing it with the background of developments
here," Mr Reith told Network Ten.

"For example, I think we will continue to see the Australian (Industrial) Relations
Commission in place.

"We have a role for it, it's different that's true, but that is going to continue.

"So I don't think you can fairly say we are going to have one system or another, it is not
like that."

The ACTU and other unions have accused Mr Reith of wanting to abolish awards altogether as
part of his bid to return workplace issues to individual workplaces.

The government is already paring back awards to 20 basic conditions and under Mr Reith's
second wave of industrial relations reforms, notices of termination, skill-based
classifications, accident make-up pay, jury and long service leave will also be removed.

Mr Reith is also keen to end duelling state and federal award systems by replacing
Australia's near century-old constitutional conciliation and arbitration power with minimum
standards for companies set through corporations law.

That would mean business would be more able to handle workplace issues without the
intervention of parties like unions.

But the ACTU fears a move to the corporations power would leave workers open to lesser
wages and conditions.

Mr Reith's second wave reforms, introduced into parliament in the last sitting session,
face a testing time in the Senate amid opposition from the Australian Democrats, while a
series of state strikes against the laws start from this week.

The changes include compulsory secret ballots on proposed industrial action and limiting
the AIRC's compulsory conciliation powers to disputes relating to allowable matters, unfair
dismissal cases and demarcation disputes.

AAP rmm/arb/de

KEYWORD: INDUSTRIAL (CARRIED EARLIER)

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