Fed: Bosses won t back use of corporations power Labor

AAP General News (Australia)
04-26-2000
Fed: Bosses won t back use of corporations power Labor

CANBERRA, April 26 AAP - Not many bosses would back federal government plans to use
the corporations power of the constitution to bring about workplace reform, Labor said
today.

Workplace Relations Minister Peter Reith has mooted using the powers to bring about
change, particularly since the collapse of his second wave industrial legislation last
year.

Under section 51 of the constitution, federal parliament has the power to make laws
concerning foreign corporations and trading or financial corporations.

Legislating on workplace matters in relation to single or groups of corporations would
allow the federal government to override state industrial laws.

"Peter Reith keeps talking about using the corporations power and raising the prospect
either directly or indirectly that the corporations power might allow him to override
states," opposition industrial relations spokesman Arch Bevis told AAP.

"I'm sure that it is not just all of the states, Labor and Liberal, that he would have
an argument over with that, there are many employers who do not support that.

"There are many employers who think they get a more direct, less legalistic process
if they go through their local state tribunals than if they had to go through the federal
system."

He said major industrial disputes including the BHP, ACI and waterfront issues had
all gone through the courts.

"There are plenty of employers, like the unions, who don't want to get themselves tied
up in the costs and red tape that the legal system involves.

"They'd much rather have the less formal avenues that are available to them under the
state tribunals."

Mr Bevis denied Labor's plan to abolish Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) in government
would also put pressure on the courts.

"The AWAs have not been designed to reduce red tape and legal burden," he said.

"The AWAs have been designed to reduce minimum protections for ordinary workers and
they've been used exactly that way with the government's own employees."

AWAs were used by only one per cent of the workforce, he said.

"The truth is they've been duds."

AAP dep/mfh/jtb/br

KEYWORD: CORPORATIONS

2000 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.