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The Senate Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee Fair Work Amendment (Small BusinessPenalty Rates Exemption) Bill 2012 March 2013

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Page 1: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

The Senate

Education, Employment

and Workplace Relations

Legislation Committee

Fair Work Amendment (Small Business–Penalty

Rates Exemption) Bill 2012

March 2013

Page 2: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

© Commonwealth of Australia

ISBN: 978-1-74229-784-2

This document was produced by the Senate Standing Committee on Education, Employment

and Workplace Relations and printed by the Senate Printing Unit, Parliament House,

Canberra.

Page 3: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

iii

MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE

Members

Senator Gavin Marshall, Chair, ALP, Vic.

Senator Chris Back, Deputy Chair, LP, WA

Senator Catryna Bilyk, ALP, Tas.

Senator Bridget McKenzie, Nat., Vic.

Senator Lee Rhiannon, AG, NSW

Senator Matt Thistlethwaite, ALP, NSW

Participating Members

Senator the Hon. Eric Abetz, LP, Tas.

Senator Nick Xenophon, IND, SA

Secretariat

Mr Tim Watling, Secretary

Ms Bonnie Allan, Principal Research Officer

Ms Natasha Rusjakovski, Senior Research Officer

Ms Nerissa Stewart, Senior Research Officer

Mr Tim Hillman, Research Officer

Mr Isaac Overton, Research Officer

Ms Sarah Bainbridge, Administrative Officer

PO Box 6100 Ph: 02 6277 3521

Parliament House Fax: 02 6277 5706

Canberra ACT 2600 E-mail: [email protected]

Page 4: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation
Page 5: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE ...................................................... iii

RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................................vii

CHAPTER 1 ........................................................................................................ 1

Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1

Reference ................................................................................................................ 1

Conduct of inquiry .................................................................................................. 1

Background and purpose of the bill ....................................................................... 1

Key provisions of the bill ....................................................................................... 2

Compatibility with human rights ............................................................................ 3

Acknowledgment .................................................................................................... 3

Notes on references ................................................................................................ 3

CHAPTER 2 ........................................................................................................ 5

Issues .......................................................................................................................... 5

Key issues raised by those in favour of the bill ...................................................... 5

Key issues raised by those opposed to the bill ....................................................... 9

Unintended consequences of the bill .................................................................... 24

Penalty rates immediately following the introduction of WorkChoices .............. 26

Non-compliance with requirement to pay penalty rates ....................................... 28

Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 29

COALITION SENATORS' ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ......................... 31

SENATOR NICK XENOPHON'S DISSENTING REPORT ....................... 33

The concept of a weekend .................................................................................... 35

Recompense for working 'unsociable hours' ........................................................ 36

Page 6: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

The current regulatory environment ..................................................................... 37

APPENDIX 1 ..................................................................................................... 39

Submissions received .............................................................................................. 39

Additional information received ........................................................................... 84

Responses to questions taken on notice ................................................................ 84

APPENDIX 2 ..................................................................................................... 85

Witnesses who appeared before the committee ................................................... 85

Page 7: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendation 1

2.63 The committee recommends that the government task the Department

and/or the Fair Work Commission to provide advice on how best to identify non-

managerial and non-professional employees who continue to work outside the

coverage of a modern award, and bring them within award coverage.

Recommendation 2

2.75 The committee recommends that the Senate not pass the bill.

Page 8: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation
Page 9: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

CHAPTER 1

Introduction

Reference

1.1 On 23 August 2012, the Senate referred the provisions of the Fair Work

Amendment (Small Business—Penalty Rates Exemption) Bill 2012 (the bill) to the

Senate Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee (the

committee) for inquiry and report by 29 November 2012. The reporting date was

subsequently extended to 12 March 2013.1

Conduct of inquiry

1.2 The committee advertised in The Australian on 29 August 2012, calling for

submissions by 20 September 2012. Details of the inquiry were made available on the

committee's website.2

1.3 The committee also contacted a number of organisations inviting submissions

to the inquiry. Submissions were received from approximately 1800 individuals and

organisations, as detailed in Appendix 1.

1.4 A public hearing was held in Melbourne on 7 December 2012. The witness

list for the hearing is at Appendix 2.

Background and purpose of the bill

1.5 The bill was introduced in the Senate by Senator Nick Xenophon, independent

Senator for South Australia, on 16 August 2012. It seeks to implement measures

relating to modern awards, penalty rates and the definition of an excluded small

business employer.3

1.6 The bill has four objectives presented under Schedule 1. Broadly, the bill

proposes to:

Amend the Fair Work Act 2009 to exclude small business employers

from paying penalty rates (Schedule 1);

Amend the definition of 'excluded small business employer' in the Fair

Work Act 2009 (Schedule 1);

1 Journals of the Senate, p. 2864.

2 Senate Standing Legislation Committee on Education, Employment and Workplace Relations,

Fair Work Amendment (Small Business—Penalty Rates Exemption) Bill 2012,

http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate_Committees?url=eet_ctte/

penalty_rates/index.htm, accessed 29 August 2012.

3 Explanatory Memorandum, Fair Work Amendment (Small Business—Penalty Rates

Exemption) Bill 2012, p. 2.

Page 10: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

2

Amend the Fair Work Act 2009 to calculate the number of employees

employed by an in employer at a particular time; and

Amend the Fair Work Act 2009 to state that all associated entities within

the same industry are taken to be one entity.4

1.7 The bill purports to strike a compromise between small business employers

and their employees in relation to penalty rates, on the rationale that a global

economy, technological progressions and deregulation of trading hours have made it

common for businesses to trade every day of the week. As a result, some employees

routinely work on weekends and during public holidays. The bill works on the

premise that, for these employees at least, weekend and public holiday hours comprise

part of their standard working hours.5

1.8 The Fair Work Act (the Act), the bill's Explanatory Memorandum states,

generally does not recognise this shift towards a seven day week. The intention of the

bill is to rectify this perceived shortcoming of the Act. It would achieve this by

recognition of the shift towards a seven day working week by permitting certain small

businesses to exclude selected aspects of penalty rates for employees to ease the

financial burden the rates can create.6

1.9 The businesses covered by the bill are limited to small businesses (those with

fewer than 20 full time and full time equivalent employees) in the hospitality and

retail sector. If the bill is passed these businesses will, the Explanatory Memorandum

states, be able to 'remain true to the original intention of penalty rates while avoiding

the high cost burden during specific days of the week.'7

Key provisions of the bill

Exclusion of small business from penalty rates

1.10 Schedule 1 of the bill proposes to amend the Fair Work Act 2009 to define the

terms concerning penalty rates payable by small business employers. The bill states

that an existing or future modern award should not necessitate a term that requires an

employer that is considered as a small business employer, to pay penalty rates to an

employee unless the work undertaken consists of more than thirty eight hours a week;

or ten hours of work in a day.8

4 Explanatory Memorandum, Fair Work Amendment (Small Business—Penalty Rates

Exemption) Bill 2012, pp 2–3

5 Explanatory Memorandum, Fair Work Amendment (Small Business—Penalty Rates

Exemption) Bill 2012, p. 2.

6 Explanatory Memorandum, Fair Work Amendment (Small Business—Penalty Rates

Exemption) Bill 2012, p. 2.

7 Explanatory Memorandum, Fair Work Amendment (Small Business—Penalty Rates

Exemption) Bill 2012, p. 2.

8 Explanatory Memorandum, Fair Work Amendment (Small Business—Penalty Rates

Exemption) Bill 2012, p. 3.

Page 11: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

3

Definition of 'excluded small business employer'

1.11 Clause 155A(2) of the bill seeks to insert the definition of 'excluded small

business employer' such that an excluded small business employer would consist of an

employer that, at a particular time, employs less than twenty employees in either the

restaurant and catering industry or the retail industry.9

Calculating the number of employees

1.12 Schedule 1 of the bill proposes that the number of employees engaged by an

employer should be calculated by considering all full-time and full-time equivalent

employees engaged at a particular time, while any other employee in the business at

that time should not be taken into account. Any connected businesses or associations

within the industry should be considered as a single entity.10

Compatibility with human rights

1.13 The explanatory memorandum contains a Statement of Compatibility with

Human Rights (the Statement), which acknowledges the implications of the bill on the

right of an individual to freely chose or accept work and the right not to be deprived of

work unfairly under articles 6, 7 and 8 of the International Covenant on Economic,

Social and Cultural Rights. The Statement concludes that the bill is compatible with

human rights and would not have any effect on the rights to work or the rights in

work.11

Acknowledgment

1.14 As mentioned earlier, the committee received approximately 1800

passionately-argued submissions to this inquiry, and wishes to thank those individuals

and organisations who contributed to the inquiry by preparing written submissions and

giving evidence at the hearing.

Notes on references

1.15 References in this report to the Hansard for the public hearing are to the Proof

Hansard. Page numbers may vary between the proof and the official transcripts.

9 Explanatory Memorandum, Fair Work Amendment (Small Business—Penalty Rates

Exemption) Bill 2012, p. 3.

10 Explanatory Memorandum, Fair Work Amendment (Small Business—Penalty Rates

Exemption) Bill 2012, p. 3.

11 Explanatory Memorandum, Fair Work Amendment (Small Business—Penalty Rates

Exemption) Bill 2012, p. 4.

Page 12: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation
Page 13: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

CHAPTER 2

Issues

Key issues raised by those in favour of the bill

2.1 Proponents of the bill argued that the rationale for penalty rates is now largely

out-dated, thanks to improvements in technology, the development of a global

economy and the deregulation of trading hours, resulting in many businesses trading

over all seven days.1 The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI)

submitted that:

Late nights and weekends are significant trading periods in the services

sector. Typically awards have adopted a series of penalty rates which

compensate employees for working ‘unsociable hours’. This original

justification for a high penalty rate regime has limited foundation, with the

advent of fundamental changes in our society, particularly in the retail and

restaurant sectors. Despite this reality, a number of modern awards have

adopted a more restrictive span of ordinary hours, that is, hours where

employers are not required to pay higher rates of pay, and maintained the

penalty rates. These penalty rates are a deterrent to operating outside of

designated ordinary hours and where penalties have increased under the

new modern award, this has threatened the viability of business, the

majority of them [small to medium enterprises] in the services sectors.2

2.2 To further illustrate the point, ACCI provided the following quote from an

employer, received in response to ACCI's National Employer Survey:

I still do not understand how we can move to seven day trading and still

have penalty rates. Surely any hour of any day should be an hourly rate.

Sure, if staff work over a sensible number of hours overtime should be paid

but not simply because it is a Sunday – many of our part time and casual

staff can only work weekends so in fact there is no penalty. We open to

provide a service in a remote area and at best break even. Further, we try to

employ pharmacy students and school students to give them experience but

this gets challenging when wages have penalty rates attached as well – it

defeats the purpose.3

1 See, for example, Restaurant and Catering, submission 452, p. 3; Australian Retailers

Association, submission 75, p. 3; Small Business Development Corporation (WA Government),

submission 115, p. 2; Australian Federation of Employers and Industries, submission 116, pp

6–7. The committee also received submissions from several hundred individuals and businesses

in support of the bill.

2 ACCI, Submission 106, p. 10.

3 ACCI, Submission 106, p. 8.

Page 14: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

6

2.3 The Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI) felt

similarly:

The great failing of the Act is that it was designed to operate on the basis

“unsocial, irregular or unpredictable hours” plus work on weekends, public

holidays and shifts must attract penalty rates because they are imposition on

all workers and that all manner of businesses can afford to pay a premium

to operate during such times. The Act and the modern award system do not

recognise that in the modern economy some workers can actually only

work at certain times and do not regard them as an imposition because they

actually fit in with other aspects of their lives. They also do not recognise

that certain businesses have to operate during certain times. Why should

such workers who need or choose to work at such times be entitled to a

greater rate of pay simply because the times they choose and prefer to work,

and in some cases, can only work, happen to fall on a weekend? Equally,

why should some businesses that have to trade on weekends or at night or

on public holidays such as tourism operators, café owners, restaurateurs and

publicans and accommodation providers be penalised because they have to

operate during these hours?4

2.4 Supporters of the bill claimed that as a result of the new paradigm many part

time or casual employees consider weekends to be part of their regular hours, and that

as a result it is not necessary to pay penalty rates to attract them to work. While

submitters such as the Australian Retailers Association reported research suggesting

that 39.9 per cent of respondents to a survey cited 'lifestyle' as a reason they worked

weekends, and 45.5 per cent 'availability', the committee notes that while 64.5 per cent

of employer respondents 'had no difficulty in securing staff to work on weekends', the

situation might be different if penalty rates were not payable. Indeed, later in their

submission the Association acknowledged that penalty rates were a 'substantial reason'

why staff chose to work weekends, with 53.3 per cent saying this was a factor.5 The

argument that a substantial proportion of workers prefer to work weekends was

vehemently rejected by the Queensland Council of Unions, who dismissed it as

'spurious' and lacking any credible evidence.6

2.5 A number of submitters also argued that the Fair Work Act required modern

awards to include the term 'necessary to achieve the modern awards objective', and

that modern awards have failed to deliver a structure which is consistent with these

objectives, which include, among other things:

The need to promote flexible modern work practices, efficient and productive

performance of work (s.134(1)(d));

the principal of equal remuneration for work of equal or comparable

value(s.134(1)(e));

4 Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Submission 107, pp 2–3.

5 Australian Retailers Association, Submission 75, p. 5.

6 Queensland Council of Unions, Submission 415, p. 3.

Page 15: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

7

the likely impact of any exercise of modern award hours on business,

including on productivity, employment costs and the regulatory burden

(s.134(1)(f)); and

the likely impact of any exercise of modern award powers on employment

growth, inflation, sustainability, and competitiveness of the national economy

(s.134(1)(h)).7

2.6 Proponents also pointed to an increase in small business bankruptcy rates, and

a decline in small business start-ups, over recent years, and argued that:

Labour costs represent some 45% of total expenditure for restaurant and

catering businesses and significant spikes in labour costs introduced by the

Fair Work Act Modern Award regime must be included in the factors that

result in high business failure rates.8

2.7 To this end, the Australian Retailers Association submitted that retailers were

'increasingly concerned' that the minimum safety net guaranteed by the retail award

was too generous, leading to labour cost pressures and threatening business viability:

There is direct evidence retailers of all sizes find trading on Sundays in

particular marginal at best. Some owner- operators can only open if they

man the stores themselves while others will simply not open because it is

not viable due to penalty rate structures.9

2.8 Restaurant and Catering estimated that in 2011 some 509 356 shifts have been

lost or 2945 jobs lost to the industry as a result of increased labour costs. The

Australian Federation of Employers and Industries (AFEI) summarised its view of the

situation thus:

The slower jobs growth and decrease in overall hours offered to employees

in these sectors, along with the adjustment of trading hours are indicative of

the cost impact of modern awards which is now to be exacerbated by the

new penalty rate regime… The outcome in these sectors in response to

labour cost increases will inevitably be further reductions in jobs, available

work hours, and careful management of rosters to avoid paying penalty

rates.10

2.9 Restaurant and Catering drew on a survey of its members in late 2011, with a

view to obtaining 'detailed information about the state of the industry in respect of its

financial, business and human resource elements'.11

Some of the key conclusions of

the survey presented to the committee in support of the argument that changes are

needed to the penalty rates system, were:

7 See, for example, Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Submission 107,

p. 2.

8 Restaurant and Catering, Submission 452, p. 7.

9 Australian Retailers Association, Submission 75, p. 4.

10 Australian Federation of Employers and Industries, Submission 116, p. 11.

11 Restaurant and Catering, Submission 452, p. 8.

Page 16: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

8

65.8 per cent of respondents indicated that a further minimum award rise in

July 2012 would have a significant financial impact on their business;

Were a wage increase to occur, 32 per cent of respondents would not employ

additional staff, and 20.3 per cent would employ the same number of staff but

for fewer hours;

70.9 per cent of respondents would employ fewer staff is labour costs rose

across 2012–2013;

33.3 per cent of restaurant respondents indicated they closed their business on

public holidays and 18.2 per cent reduced their opening hours on those days.12

2.10 Proponents also argued that restaurant, cafe and catering businesses have

already incurred significant costs with the introduction of the Fair Work system which

has resulted in some businesses applying significant labour cost increases as a result

of the making of the Restaurant Industry Award 2010 and the Hospitality Industry

General) Award 2010 which took effect in part from 1 January 2010. It was argued

that businesses had incurred additional costs in the transitional arrangements and are

further concerned about significant monetary increases applied by way of new penalty

rates that in some cases did not apply under the pre modern award system. The system

at present, it is argued, has resulted in Australia having the highest minimum wage in

the OECD.13

2.11 Among those who were in favour of the bill, a number considered that it did

not go far enough, and should apply to businesses with more than 20 employees. The

AFEI argued that:

…the proposed legislative changes extending only to employers with

businesses in the restaurant and catering or retail industries with fewer than

20 full time or full-time equivalent employees does not go far enough.

Reform is also required for employers facing unsustainable penalty rates in

other sectors where modern awards either introduced penalty rates where

previously none applied or increased them significantly beyond pre modern

award levels…In our view, legislative reform that targets sectors where

penalty rates regimes have previously applied, but are no longer relevant in

a contemporary economy and are in fact detrimental, such as in the fast

food sector, is also necessary. To achieve this, penalty rates for weekend

work should not apply where these hours form part of the worker’s

ordinary, not overtime, hours. Further the introduction of a “cut off” point

at 20 employees has the potential to introduce distortion and unintended

consequences in the labour market.14

12 Restaurant and Catering, Submission 452, pp 9–10.

13 Restaurant and Catering, Submission 452, p. 11. See also, for example, Australian Retailers

Association, Submission 75, p. 3.

14 Australian Federation of Employers and Industries, Submission 116, p. 2.

Page 17: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

9

2.12 It was also argued that small business owners' human rights were potentially

in jeopardy on the basis that they were 'forced to work excessive long hours because

of regulatory changes to business operations that were not foreseen when they started

the business', and that:

…the Fair Work Act 2009 has fundamentally swung the pendulum in

favour of employees and trade unions to the extent that running a small

business in Australia is oppressive, unjust and unfair to the community of

entrepreneurs that should be rewarded not punished by Government.15

Key issues raised by those opposed to the bill

2.13 Opposition to the bill was very strong. The Shop, Distributive and Allied

Employees Association (SDA) represented the underlying views of many of those

opposed to the bill, putting the case for the retention of penalty rates in this way:

Penalty rates are not a prehistoric concept to be derided and eradicated

because some do not consider them 'modern'. Indeed, they reflect the very

basic tenet of our modern industrial legislation, the Fair Work Act 2009, in

that they are 'fair' - they compensate employees for working unsociable

hours at times and on days when many others enjoy family gatherings,

social occasions, religious commitments or leisure time.16

2.14 The remainder of this chapter will outline the major themes expounded upon

by those opposed to the bill, before highlighting a number of potential unintended

consequences it may have.

Antisocial hours

2.15 Submitters who opposed the bill cited as one of their primary arguments the

special status that weekends hold among the majority of Australians. Unions NSW

spoke for many when they submitted that:

Whilst there have been significant increases in business hours in the last 50

years, Unions NSW does not believe that this makes the concept of the

weekend or public holidays redundant…Unions NSW submits that

increased business operating hours have not eliminated the social costs

imposed on employees who work on weekends. A weekend that falls on a

Saturday and Sunday remains the norm for the majority of Australian

workers. Additionally, a Monday to Friday week also remains the normal

operation hours of schools. Employees who work on weekends will

generally find themselves working whilst their friends, partners and

extended family are not. Additionally, employees with children who work

weekends will find themselves working on the only two days of the week

that their children are not in school. Weekends continue to be the time of

15 Restaurant and Catering, Submission 452, p. 15.

16 SDA, Submission 71, p. 3. See also, in a similar vein, Australian Services Union, submission

318; Queensland Council of Unions, submission 415. The committee also received many

hundreds of submissions from individuals opposing the bill.

Page 18: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

10

week that organised sporting games and activities are played. Depending on

an individual’s religion, Saturday or Sunday remains a day of rest and

worship where religious services are conducted. Weekends also remain the

time of week when large scale community events, markets, fairs and fetes

are held.17

2.16 Likewise, the Australian Catholic Council for Employment Relations

submitted that:

The fact that an industry may be described as a "seven day a week industry"

does not disentitle workers to penalty rates for the working of unsocial

hours. Penalty rates are payable to workers whether they are employed as

shift workers or only perform part of their work (either regularly or

occasionally) in unsocial hours. Penalty payments are paid for work in

unsocial hours in seven day a week industries, such as health, aged care,

policing, emergency services and private security. The claim that retail, for

example, has become more of a seven day a week industry does not support

a claim that penalty rates should be reduced or removed. Similarly, in the

restaurant and catering industries, which have always operated over seven

days a week, an increase in the number of businesses opening on weekends

would be no reason to reduce or remove penalty rates.18

2.17 The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

(DEEWR) agreed, submitting that:

[A]n extension of trading hours, largely in response to consumer demand,

does not diminish the unsociability of weekend or late night work. Many

employees are less inclined to work on Saturdays and Sundays because they

are the primary days where other family members are available and where

sport, leisure, community activities and religious celebrations occur.

Employees cannot readily or easily substitute week days for activities that

they would normally do on weekend days.19

2.18 The committee was told that a study drawn from Australian Bureau of

Statistics (ABS) data indicated that the weekend - and Sundays in particular -

remained the most important days for social and community interaction for

Australians of working age. Comparisons of the way those who work weekends spend

their time compared with those who do not indicated that, for Sunday workers, there is

a significant fall in participation in community activities (including volunteering), a

large drop in socialising, a big fall in recreational activities, less opportunity to

'catchup' on domestic work, less sleep-in time and less personal care time. The authors

concluded that Sunday was the most critical day for families to spend time together,

17 Unions NSW, Submission 416, p. 6.

18 Australian Catholic Council for Employment Relations, Submission 112, p. 7.

19 DEEWR, Submission 418, p. 6.

Page 19: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

11

and that both Saturday and Sunday are days of importance social contact with friends,

colleagues and neighbours.20

2.19 Unions NSW made the point that weekend and public holiday work has a

significant effect on families who have caring responsibilities for children, and that

the lack of formal education on these days means that when parents need to work on

weekends, they need to be placed in childcare. Weekend childcare is often unavailable

in many areas and when it is, it is considerably more expensive than mid-week care. It

was submitted that the removal of penalty rates on weekends and public holidays

would lead to greater financial pressure being placed on employees with such caring

responsibilities.21

2.20 The importance and unique status of weekends is reflected in a poll

undertaken by Galaxy Research which found that, in spite of deregulation of shopping

hours and the expanded daily spread of working hours, there is virtually universal

agreement – 97 per cent– that weekends are important times for families. Eighty seven

per cent of Australians agree that people who are required to work on weekends as

part of their job should receive a higher rate of pay for weekend shifts, and 77 per cent

do not agree with the argument that working on the week end is no different to any

other day of the week.22

Effect on incomes

2.21 The committee was told that the most immediate and obvious effect of the

Bill would be the adjustment by businesses of their rostering arrangements to avoid

allowing employees to work shifts of longer than 10 hours, or more than 38 hour per

week, in order to avoid payment of penalty rates.23

This would result in part-time

workers in relevant industries, already among the lowest-paid, who do any evening or

weekend work having their pay significantly reduced.24

2.22 The SDA submitted a number of case studies to illustrate the potential impact

of the bill on individual incomes. One was for a full-time shiftworker in South

Australia working Monday to Thursday 10pm to 6am and Friday 10pm to 4am,

currently entitled to $794.70. The same hours in Victoria would equal $865.93. The

removal of their nightshift penalty rates would see them earn $666.10 per week. For

the South Australian shiftworker, that is a reduction of $128.80, or just over 16 per

20 ACTU, Submission 231, p. 14, citing Bittman, M (2005) ‘Sunday Working and Family Time’

59 Labour & Industry 16(1) at 68. See also, for example, Australian Catholic Council for

Employment Relations, Submission 112, p. 8; United Voice, Submission 417, p. 26.

21 Unions NSW, Submission 416, pp 9–10.

22 United Voice, submission to Modern Award Review 2012, pp 3–4,

www.fwa.gov.au/documents/awardmod/review/AM2012215_sub_uv.pdf (accessed on

18 December 2012).

23 See, for example, ACTU, Submission 231, p. 26.

24 SDA, Submission 71, p. 4; See also, for example, ACTU, Submission 231, p. 26; Unions NSW,

Submission 416, p. 8.

Page 20: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

12

cent of their wage. The Victorian employee would have their wage reduced by

$199.83, or over 23 per cent.

2.23 Another involved a part-time employee employed by a small employer in

New South Wales who works from 6pm to 9pm Thursday and Friday and 10am to

4pm on Saturday and Sunday, currently entitled to $460.57. The bill would see the

employee’s wage reduced to $298.01 for working the exact same hours. This

employee would stand to lose over 35 per cent, or $162.56 of their weekly income.25

2.24 While the number of dollars in lost income is part of the story, United Voice

reminded the committee that restaurant and catering workers, 45 per cent of whom

receive award wages, rely heavily on the extra income provided by penalty rates. This

point is illustrated by the fact that in 2008, the Australian Bureau of Statistics

estimated that approximately 72 per cent of workers in the Accommodation and Food

Services industry usually work on the weekend. By contrast, only 28% of workers in

the industry have patterns of work which vary each week. United Voice took these

statistics to mean that the removal of penalty rates in these sectors amounts to an

assault on the wages and conditions of restaurant and catering employees.26

2.25 DEEWR submitted that:

Penalty rates have been a long-standing feature of the employment safety

net in Australia for employees who work weekends, public holidays and

other unsociable hours…penalty rates are an important component of the

total remuneration for low paid employees, including in the

accommodation, retail and hospitality industries.27

2.26 The ACTU provided tables illustrating the current and proposed pay rates

under the awards likely to be affected. These are set out below.

25 SDA, Submission 71, p. 5.

26 United Voice, Submission 417, p. 17.

27 DEEWR, Submission 418, p. 4.

Page 21: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

13

General Retail Industry Award 2010 – Saturday

Permanent

(125%)

current

Permanent

(100%)

proposed

Difference

per hour

Casual

(135%

between

7am and

6pm only)28

Casual

(100%)

proposed

Difference

per hour

Adult 21.91 17.53 4.38 23.67 17.53 6.14

20 (90%) 19.72 15.78 3.94 21.30 15.78 5.52

19 (80%) 17.53 14.02 3.51 18.93 14.02 4.91

18 (70%) 15.34 12.27 3.07 16.56 12.27 4.29

17 (60%) 13.15 10.52 2.63 14.20 10.52 3.68

16 (50%) 10.96 8.76 2.20 11.83 8.76 3.07

16 and

under

(45%)

9.86 7.89 1.97 10.65 7.89 2.76

General Retail Industry Award 2010 – Sunday

Permanent

(200%)

current

Permanent

(100%)

proposed

Difference

per hour

Casual

(200%)

current

Casual

(125%)

proposed

Difference

per hour

Adult 35.06 17.53 17.53 35.06 21.91 13.15

20 (90%) 31.56 15.78 15.78 31.56 19.72 11.84

19 (80%) 28.04 14.02 14.02 28.04 17.53 10.51

18 (70%) 24.54 12.27 12.27 24.54 15.34 9.20

17 (60%) 21.04 10.52 10.52 21.04 13.15 7.89

16 (50%) 17.52 8.76 8.76 17.52 10.96 6.56

16 and

under

(45%)

15.78 7.89 7.89 15.78 9.86 5.92

28 Outside these workers are paid time-and-a-half for the first three hours and double time

thereafter.

Page 22: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

14

Restaurant Industry Award 2010 – permanent employees

PERMANENT

EMPLOYEES (FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME)

Saturday Sunday

Permanent

(125%)

current

Permanent

(100%)

proposed

Difference per hour

Permanent

(150%)

current

Permanent

(100%)

proposed

Difference per hour

Adult (20+) 20.53 16.42 4.11 24.63 16.42 8.21

19 (85%) 17.45 13.96 3.49 20.94 13.96 6.98

18 (70%) 14.36 11.49 2.87 17.24 11.49 5.75

17 (60%) 12.31 9.85 2.46 14.78 9.85 4.93

16 and under (50%)

10.26 8.21 2.05 12.32 8.21 4.11

Restaurant Industry Award 2010 – casual employees

CASUAL EMPLOYEES

Saturday Sunday

Casual

(150%)

current

Casual

(125%)

proposed

Difference per hour

Casual

(175%)

current

Casual

(125%)

proposed

Difference per hour

Adult (20+) 24.63 20.53 4.10 28.74 20.53 8.21

19 (85%) 20.94 17.45 3.49 24.43 17.45 6.98

18 (70%) 17.24 14.36 2.88 20.11 14.36 5.75

17 (60%) 14.78 12.31 2.47 17.24 12.31 4.93

16 and under (50%)

12.32 10.26 2.06 14.37 10.26 4.11

Page 23: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

15

Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2010 – Saturday

Permanent

(125%)

current

Permanent

(100%)

proposed

Difference

per hour

Casual

(150%)

current

Casual

(125%)

proposed

Difference

per hour

Adult (20+) 20.53 16.42 4.11 24.63 20.53 4.10

19 (85%) 17.45 13.96 3,49 20.94 17.45 3.49

18 (70%) 14.36 11.49 2.87 17.24 14.36 2.88

17 (60%) 12.31 9.85 2.46 14.78 12.31 2.47

16 and

under

(50%)

10.26 8.21 2.05

12.32 10.26 2.06

Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2010 – Sunday

Permanent

(175%)

current

Permanent

(100%)

proposed

Difference

per hour

Casual

(175%)

current

Casual

(125%)

proposed

Difference

per hour

Adult (20+) 28.74 16.42 12.32 28.74 20.53 8.21

19 (85%) 24.43 13.96 10.47 24.43 17.45 6.98

18 (70%) 20.11 11.49 8.62 20.11 14.36 5.75

17 (60%) 17.24 9.85 7.39 17.24 12.31 4.93

16 and

under

(50%)

14.37 8.21 6.16

14.37 10.26 4.11

Page 24: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

16

Fast Food Industry Award 2010 – permanent employees

Saturday Sunday

Permanent

(125%)

current

Permanent

(100%)

Proposed

Difference

per hour

Permanent

(150%)

current

Permanent

(100%)

Proposed

Difference

per hour

Adult 21.91 17.53 4.38 26.30 17.53 8.77

20 (90%) 19.73 15.78 3.95 23.67 15.78 7.89

19 (80%) 17.53 14.02 3.51 21.03 14.02 7.01

18 (70%) 15.34 12.27 3.07 18.41 12.27 6.14

17 (60%) 13.15 10.52 2.63 15.78 10.52 5.26

16 (50%) 10.96 8.76 2.20 13.14 8.76 4.38

Under 16

(40%)

8.76 7.01 1.75 10.52 7.01 3.51

Fast Food Industry Award 2010 – casual employees

Saturday Sunday

Casual

(150%)

current

Casual

(125%)

Proposed

(Current

ordinary

time rate

with 25%

casual

loading)

Difference

per hour

Casual

(175%)

current

Casual

(125%)

Proposed

(Current

ordinary

time rate

with 25%

casual

loading)

Difference

per hour

Adult 26.30 21.91 4.39 30.68 21.91 8.77

20 (90%) 23.67 19.72 3.95 27.62 19.72 7.90

19 (80%) 21.03 17.53 3.50 24.54 17.53 7.01

18 (70%) 18.41 15.34 3.07 21.47 15.34 6.13

17 (60%) 15.78 13.15 2.63 18.41 13.15 5.26

16 (50%) 13.14 10.96 2.18 15.33 10.96 4.37

Under 16

(40%)

10.52 8.77 1.75 12.27 8.77 3.50

Page 25: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

17

2.27 The SDA submitted that:

The reduction or removal of penalty rates, whether they be penalty

payments to compensate workers for shiftwork, overtime, working at night,

working on weekends and /or working on public holidays would have a

most serious adverse impact on those workers and their families.29

2.28 The SDA also argued that the bill had the potential to:

…create an underclass of workers who cannot hope to earn more than

$34,637.20 per annum if they are a Level 1 permanent, full-time ‘adult’.

That is a mere $3,104.40 per annum more than the minimum wage.

However, an employee performing the same role but for an employer with

20 or more full-time equivalent employees could earn significantly more if

their shifts cover weekends, evenings, public holidays or night shifts.30

2.29 The SDA provided the example of two part-time retail or fast food workers on

a public holiday, under the award, who could perform the same tasks at exactly the

same time but one would receive $43.83 per hour for their work, whilst the other

would receive $17.53 per hour, and concluded that 'It would not be an understatement

to declare this scenario completely unjust. These rates are set to compensate

employees for giving up a holiday to which all workers are entitled'.31

Application of the bill only to restaurant, retail and catering sectors

2.30 A number of submitters questioned the application of the bill only to

businesses in the restaurant, retail and catering sectors. United Voice asked why these

industries represented a special case in need of an exemption 'to what is otherwise [an]

accepted community standard?', adding that:

In United Voice’s opinion, before an Australian parliament took the very

significant step of removing one set of rights and entitlements from a group

of workers, it would need to be presented with overwhelming and

inarguable evidence in favour of that proposition. In order to demonstrate

that businesses covered by the Bill fall into a special or unique category

proponents must demonstrate not only a sound economic case for a drastic

reduction in penalty rates, but also a social case. Penalty rates perform not

only an economic function but also an important social function. By

compensating workers who work on weekends or at night penalty rates

protect and enhance family and community life in Australia. Employer

groups and other supporters of the Bill have not put forth either a rigorous

economic or social argument to support the idea that the restaurant and

catering industry is a special case. Consequently, on equity grounds alone,

the Committee should not support passage of the Bill.32

29 SDA, Submission 71, p. 2.

30 SDA, Submission 106, p. 6.

31 SDA, Submission 106, p. 6.

32 United Voice, Submission 417, p. 15.

Page 26: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

18

Uncertainty of scope

2.31 The Bill seeks to preclude modern awards from awarding penalty rates to

employees of exempted small businesses, except where employees work either more

than 38 hours per week or more than 10 hours during a 24 hour period, in the

restaurant and catering industry or the retail industry. The ACTU submitted that, while

it was difficult to estimate the total number of workers who would be affected by the

bill's passage, 'it is undoubtedly in the hundreds of thousands'.33

The SDA considered

that the number affected could be 'considerably higher than 250 000'.34

2.32 The uncertainty stemmed from the difficulty in determining which modern

awards would be subject to the bill. While the majority of affected workers would

likely be employed under the General Retail Industry Award 2010 and the Restaurant

Industry Award, the ACTU argued that employers may seek to argue that the bill also

applies to other awards which have a retail component. The Hair and Beauty Industry

Award 2010, the Pharmacy Industry Award, and the Fast Food Industry Award 2010

were cited as examples.35

2.33 In the same vein, it was also argued that:

To add confusion, the explanatory memorandum to the Bill refers to an

intention aimed at 'small businesses in the hospitality and retail sector'. The

modern award system distinguishes between the general hospitality industry

and the restaurant industry, and it is subsequently unclear whether the intent

of the Bill is to effect workers engaged under various classifications in the

Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2010.36

2.34 DEEWR set out numerous instances of lack of specificity in the bill, any one

of which could give rise to arguments over whether an employment relationship was

covered by its provisions:

The Bill also provides no definition or framework to determine what may

constitute a ‘full time equivalent employee’ or whether an employer

operates in a particular sector. The Bill refers to ‘restaurant and catering

industry’ and the ‘retail industry’. Whether an employer operates in a

particular industry could be determined in a range of ways, including

whether a particular modern award applies to their operations, whether it is

in accordance to [Australia and New Zealand Standard Industrial

Classification], an ABS statistical measure, the employer’s assessment or

something else. In addition, the Bill does not outline how to determine

whether the provisions would apply and how they would operate in respect

of an employer operating a mixed business with employees performing

some functions in a particular industry but other functions in another

industry.

33 ACTU, Submission 231, p. 6.

34 SDA, Submission 71, p. 4.

35 ACTU, Submission 231, p. 6. See also, for example, Unions NSW, Submission 416, pp 3–4.

36 ACTU, Submission 231, p. 6. Emphasis in original.

Page 27: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

19

2.35 The committee was told that the retail, accommodation and food services

industries represented the largest groups of award-reliant employees in the Australian

workforce, and that between them the sectors employed over 496 000 award-reliant

employees, comprising 36.5 per cent of all minimum award-rate earners.

2.36 Of those working on awards, the committee heard that 45.5 per cent work for

businesses with fewer than 20 employees.37

It is for this reason that small business

employees are, as individuals and as a group, highly vulnerable to small wage

decreases and in need of award protection. This protection has for many years come in

the form of penalty rates.

2.37 The bill was also criticised for defining small business inconsistently with the

Fair Work Act. The Fair Work Act, for the purposes of unfair dismissal, defines the

meaning of a small business employer as employing fewer than 15 employees at a

particular time. This definition requires all employees to be counted. Casuals are

counted if they are employed on a regular and systematic basis. The bill defines a

small business employer as an employer who 'employs fewer than 20 employees'.

Under this definition only full-time and fulltime equivalent employees need to be

counted, rendering it inconsistent with the Fair Work Act. It was argued that

definitional variations such as this create confusion for employers and employees.38

Uncertainty of rostering and wages arrangements

2.38 The committee heard that most workers affected by the bill are unlikely to

have a high degree of control over their own rostering arrangements, and that the bill

could enable employers to alter rosters in a manner which would remove employees'

entitlement to penalty rates (by ensuring that workers are not rostered to work more

than 38 hours in any week or more than 10 hours in any 24 hour period). It is also

possible that, depending on rostering arrangements, employees could be entitled to

penalty rates one week and not the next. This would render it more difficult for

employees to budget, and could create significant uncertainty relating to an

employee’s take-home wage.39

Lack of evidence that measures are required

2.39 The ACTU expressed concern over the veracity of the evidence purporting to

justify the need for the amendments proposed in the bill, submitting that:

In his second reading speech, Senator Xenophon seeks to set out an

economic case for the removal of penalty rates in the retail, restaurant and

catering industries. To this end, Senator Xenophon cites “[a] Benchmarking

Report by the Restaurant and Catering Australia conducted late last year” as

37 ACTU, Submission 231, p. 7. See also ACCI, Submission 106, p. 16.

38 Unions NSW, Submission 416, pp 4–5. See also DEEWR, Submission 418, p. 8.

39 See, for example, ACTU, submission 231, p. 30.

Page 28: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

20

indicating that businesses have reduced their hours as a result of the

payment of penalty rates, employed fewer staff because of high labour

costs, and indicated an intention to reduce their number of staff if labour

costs rose in the next 12 months. Restaurant and Catering Australia is an

employer association which represents the interests of employers and

owners of restaurants, cafes and caterers. We are unable to critically

examine the “Benchmarking Report” because the report is not publicly

available. The ACTU understands that the report is based on an online

survey conducted by Restaurant and Catering Australia (“R&CA”),

although it is unclear what the sample size was for the survey, or what

questions were asked. The ACTU expresses general caution against reliance

on survey data where the methodology of the survey is unable to be

critically examined.40

2.40 The ACTU also pointed to the findings of the Minimum Wage Panel of Fair

Work Australia in its 2012 minimum wage decision, when it considered:

…a number of surveys conducted by employer associations, including a

survey conducted by the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry -

which was based on a group of 56 award-reliant enterprises - which sought

to establish that a minimum wage increase would have negative

employment effects for some employers in some industries. The Full Bench

declined to place reliance on these surveys because the survey respondents

were small in number, self-selected and / or not representative of employers

generally. The Minimum Wage Panel found that the surveys could not be

relied on for any conclusions about aggregate effects either from either an

industry or an economy-wide perspective.41

2.41 The ACTU also submitted that any argument that small business was being

hampered by labour costs did not hold water, based on the fact that growth in small

business employment levels was outstripping that of larger business:

Any negative effect of industrial arrangements would be expected to

manifest itself as more sluggish employment growth in small retail

businesses than in others. In fact, the opposite has occurred. Employment in

small retail businesses has grown more rapidly in recent years than

employment in larger retail businesses, and more rapidly than employment

across businesses of all types. ABS data show that employment in small

business in the retail trade industry rose by 7.7% between June 2009 and

June 2011. Employment in large retail businesses fell over the same period

by 1.1%...The fact that employment in small retail businesses has grown

faster than large retail employment and employment generally does not

support claims that small retail businesses are facing difficulty as a result of

penalty rates and modern awards. The retail and hospitality industries have

also seen profits remain around their typical level as a proportion of total

income, slightly increased in the case of retail trade.42

40 ACTU, submission 231, p. 19.

41 ACTU, Submission 231, pp 19–20.

42 ACTU, Submission 231, p. 20.

Page 29: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

21

2.42 United Voice agreed, adding that the average labour cost in the restaurant and

catering sectors had experienced only modest (14 per cent) growth over the years

2006 to 2011, and that wages growth comprised only a 'very small part' of the growth

in expenses in an industry that had experienced 'significant growth' over the period, as

illustrated by the following chart.43

2.43 United Voice also sought to demonstrate that wages as a proportion of overall

costs have remained stable in recent years. The following table, supplied by United

Voice, suggests that the role of wages in overall costs has increased only 0.8 per cent

in the years 2007–08 to 2010–11.44

43 United Voice, Submission 417, p. 20, drawing on Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian

Industry 2010-2011 (Cat. No. 8155.0).

44 United Voice, Submission 417, p. 22.

Page 30: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

22

2.44 This is of little surprise to the committee, given evidence it received from the

Department that:

The analysis of penalty rate provisions for modern awards determined by

the AIRC indicates that…modern awards did not introduce new penalty rate

entitlements; and penalty rates included in modern awards generally

reflected rates commonly found in existing state awards.45

2.45 The Department pointed to a number of examples of the similarities, including

the public holiday rate for full time and part time workers in the Restaurant Industry

Award 2010 of 250 per cent, which is identical to rates found in state awards reviewed

for that industry, except in South Australia (which had a lower penalty rate of 200 per

cent).

2.46 Another example made the point that the overtime rate in the General Retail

Industry Award 2010 of 150 per cent for the first three hours of work and 200 per cent

thereafter is the same rate as existed across retail awards in all States and Territories

pre award modernisation. In NSW, Western Australia and the ACT the higher rate

was payable after 2 hours of work.46

2.47 Finally, DEEWR submitted that it did not consider there were compelling

reasons to depart from the current principle that penalty rates should be provided to

compensate employees for working these hours, whilst acknowledging the detail of

particular provisions in modern awards is a matter to be determined by FWA. It is to

this matter that the committee now turns.47

Appropriateness of infringing on FWA jurisdiction

2.48 Many submitters considered the bill to be ill-conceived as a matter of public

policy given the overall framework of workplace relations law and an inappropriate

infringement on the jurisdiction of Fair Work Australia, an independent tribunal

established by Parliament to oversee industrial matters such as the payment of penalty

rates. With a view echoed by others, including the SDA, the ACTU argued that:

45 DEEWR, Submission 418, p. 12.

46 DEEWR, Submission 418, p. 13.

47 DEEWR, Submission 418, p. 4.

Page 31: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

23

If passed, the Bill would remove existing wages and entitlements that have

been determined by an independent tribunal established by the Parliament

for the purpose of determining such matters. The tribunal has set (and is

required to periodically review) the wages and entitlements attacked by the

Bill, following the presentation of merits-based cases by representatives of

workers and employers and consideration of all relevant facts and

circumstances. There is no basis for Parliament to override this process for

a section of the economy.48

2.49 The ACTU elaborated on their argument in the following way:

The powers and functions vested in FWA by the FW Act requires the

Tribunal, when it is considering any application to vary a modern award, to

undertake an independent assessment of whether the proposed variation is

necessary to meet the modern awards objective. The modern awards

objective…ensures that modern awards – taken together with the National

Employment Standards in the Act – provide a fair and relevant minimum

safety net of terms and conditions. Specifically, the modern awards

objective requires the Tribunal to consider:

a. relative living standards and the needs of the low paid; and

b. the need to encourage collective bargaining; and

c. the need to promote social inclusion through increased workforce

participation; and

d. the need to promote flexible modern work practices and the

efficient and productive performance of work; and

e. the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal or

comparable value; and

f. the likely impact of any exercise of modern award powers on

business, including on productivity, employment and the regulatory

burden; and

g. the need to ensure a simple, easy to understand, stable and

sustainable modern award system for Australia that avoids

unnecessary overlap of modern awards; and

h. the likely impact of any exercise of modern award powers on

employment growth , inflation and the sustainability, performance

and competitiveness of the national economy.

Generally speaking, in performing its functions or exercising powers, the

Tribunal is also compelled to take into account equity, good conscience and

the merits of a matter, the need to respect the value and diversity of the

work force, and the object of the FW Act.49

48 ACTU, Submission 231, p. 3. See also, for example, SDA, Submission 71, p. 1; DEEWR,

Submission 418, p. 16.

49 ACTU, Submission 231, p. 4.

Page 32: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

24

2.50 The ACTU also reminded the committee that FWA was in the process of

conducting a 2-year review of modern awards, and that:

As part of the current 2-yearly review, FWA has convened a Full Bench to

consider 24 separate applications which seek to make variations to penalty

rate provisions in 7 modern awards, including awards which would be

covered by the Bill. Of those 24 applications, a number seek to remove or

reduce penalty rates under various modern awards. Those applications will

be heard, consistent with the aims and objects of the FW Act and the

modern awards objective. In addition to the 2-yearly review, the Fair Work

Act 2009 also requires that modern awards be reviewed every 4 years.

Consistent with the scheme of the FW Act, these reviews are the only

appropriate forum for considering any reduction in the safety net.50

2.51 However, some proponents of the bill considered that it was incumbent on the

Parliament to act, and took the view that:

Parliament provided the statutory mandate and instructions to the

Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) to create modern

awards under then Part 10A of the Workplace Relations Act 1996.

Parliament has also created national minimum employment standards under

the National Employment Standards. Under the Act, there is a hybrid dual

safety net which is governed by the rules set by Parliament…The

Parliament now has responsibility to monitor the effect of these rules and

act when there is evidence to suggest legislative intervention is warranted.51

Unintended consequences of the bill

False economy for small businesses

2.52 Some submitters identified what they saw as the potential for market

distortion brought about by the application of the bill to businesses employing fewer

than 20 employees. This point was made both by supporters and critics of the bill. The

Australian Retailers Association submitted that:

While lower rates would be of significant benefit to small retailers, ARA

can report many of its members would employ more than 20 full time

employees (FTE), in some instances in a single store. Hardware stores are a

prime example of a single store small business employing many staff and

another example would be hairdressers. There is also a concern on the limit

acting like an additional tax which would restrict a retailer from expanding

beyond 20 FTEs without having their business model impacted and could

cause them to cap expansion of their staff numbers and business. The ARA

would therefore like to ask what measures would be in place to address a

retailer creating multiple entities to work around the cap, and whether this

would have the potential of acting as a retardant for employees applying for

50 ACTU, Submission 231, p. 4. See also SDA, Submission 71, p. 3.

51 ACCI, Submission 106, pp 10–11. See also, for example, VECCI, Submission 107, p. 2;

Australian Federation of Employers and Industries, Submission 116, p. 2.

Page 33: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

25

positions in small retail businesses or going over the road and applying for

work in their bigger, higher paying competitor.52

2.53 Enacting this legislation would, effectively, result in employees being

remunerated at different rates for performing the same job, for the same duration of

time. As put by one submitter:

You will create a two tier wage system and this will mean you will have

two people doing roughly the same job getting paid a different amount of

money depending on how big the business is.53

2.54 DEEWR saw potential for even more complexity:

…[A]n employer with employees performing functions in industries not

excluded by the provisions may have some employees entitled to penalty

rates on a particular day or time but other employees within the same

business not entitled to penalty rates as a result of the provisions. This may

result in additional complexity for the employer and may have other

outcomes such as those employees not receiving penalty rates for that day

not attending work due to the lack of compensation and the other

employees being required to perform the work of those employees.54

2.55 Although workers already receive different pay rates from different

employers, the bill would drastically widen this disparity. Formalising a system

wherein certain businesses pay their employees far less than others may in fact

constitute a false economy for small businesses, as the most skilled and in-demand

workers vote with their feet and seek employment elsewhere. Larger businesses not

covered by the bill will attract the best employees through better remuneration, further

disadvantaging small businesses in the long run.

Penalty payments on public holidays and inconsistency between legislation

2.56 The Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights attached to the

Explanatory Memorandum to the Bill indicates that the Bill is not intended to affect

the remuneration of employees for public holidays. However, the drafting of the Bill

does not differentiate between penalty payments which relate to evening or weekend

work, and penalty rates payable for work performed on public holidays. DEEWR

expressed concern that:

The Bill would prevent any consideration by FWA of whether penalty rates

would be appropriate in a particular situation. For example, the Bill would

prevent FWA from hearing submissions from all interested parties and

determining in accordance with the modern awards objective whether

penalty rates should be payable for a retail worker in a small business who

is rostered to work a on Christmas Day to stack shelves for the Boxing Day

52 Australian Retailers Association, Submission 75, p. 5. See also, in a similar vein, Small

Business Development Corporation (WA Government), Submission 115, p. 4.

53 Mr Graeme Frappell, Submission 5, p. 1.

54 DEEWR, Submission 418, p. 8.

Page 34: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

26

sales. The Department submits that these are issues that should continue to

be heard and determined by FWA…55

2.57 The committee takes the view that the bill would be likely to have the effect

of removing penalties payable on public holidays for workers caught by it.

2.58 In a similar vein, Unions NSW expressed concern over the wording of the

bill, which it was submitted would remove penalty rates for all workers in retail and

hospitality, even in those businesses of 20 or more workers:

The requirement for employers to pay penalty rates is included in the

relevant modern awards of retail and hospitality employees. Within these

Modern Awards, there is no variation on conditions based on the size of the

employer. As such, the wording of the Bill to ‘not include a term…’ would

effectively require the removal of the entire clause relating to penalty rates.

As such, no employee working in hospitality or retail would have an award

entitlement to penalty rates for work on weekends, public holidays, or late

at night.56

2.59 Unions NSW also expressed concern over what it considered to be

inconsistency between the bill and the NSW Retail Trading Amendment Bill (The

NSW Bill) that is currently before the NSW Parliament, which provides for shops

meeting certain conditions to open (and therefore roster staff) on days on which they

would otherwise be required not to trade. Unions NSW considered that the interaction

between the bills would see employees required to work on otherwise restricted days

(such as Christmas Day and Easter Sunday) without an entitlement to penalty rates.57

Penalty rates immediately following the introduction of WorkChoices

2.60 During the course of its hearing in Melbourne, and following evidence from

Restaurant and Catering and DEEWR. the committee was disturbed to learn that:

Immediately following the commencement of Work Choices on 27 March

2006, there was scope for newly established federal system employers to

engage employees on terms and conditions which did not include penalties.

This capacity applied to federal system employers that commenced

operations after 27 March 2006. It was not limited to Victoria, the

restaurant industry or any particular penalty rate…In practice, many federal

system employers that commenced operations after 27 March 2006 were

not bound by any award, and therefore would not have been obliged to pay

penalty rates.58

55 DEEWR, Submission 418, p. 7.

56 Unions NSW, Submission 416, p. 3.

57 Unions NSW, Submission 416, p. 12.

58 DEEWR, Answers to Questions Taken on Notice, 7 December 2012 (received

11 January 2013).

Page 35: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

27

2.61 The committee sought further information on the number of employees who

remain engaged on terms and conditions which exclude penalty rates, and learned

that:

Modern awards cover the vast majority of federal system employers that

were not covered by a pre-reform federal award due to having commenced

trading after Work Choices. The objective of the award modernisation

process, as set out in the award modernisation request, was to create a

'comprehensive' set of modern awards covering industries and occupations

that have historically been award-regulated. As a result modern awards,

such as the Restaurant Industry Award 2010 and the General Retail

Industry Award 2010, have broad industry coverage and can be expected to

cover employers and their employees that would ordinarily have been

covered by pre-reform federal awards. In addition, the Miscellaneous

Award 2010 is expressed to cover employees who are not covered by

another modern award (excluding managerial and professional employees

who have not traditionally been award-covered, and employees in an

industry covered by a modern award who do not fall within a classification

in that award).

The Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman has reported only very limited

instances of becoming aware of gaps in modern award coverage: junior

lawyers in South Australia and the possibility that cleaners engaged by a

manufacturer to clean offices attached to the manufacturing plant may not

be covered by either the Manufacturing and Associated Industries and

Occupations Award 2010 or the Miscellaneous Award 2010 (in the case of

the cleaners, there is some doubt as to whether they were covered by a pre-

modernised award).

In the Department’s view, having consulted with the Office of the Fair

Work Ombudsman and the Fair Work Commission, the award

modernisation process (which consolidated more than 1500 awards into 122

industry and occupation modern awards) has achieved widespread coverage

of traditionally award-regulated employees, and any remaining gaps in

coverage are very much exceptions to the rule.59

2.62 The committee is encouraged by the Department's advice that the great

majority of instances of employees continuing to work under terms and conditions

which exclude penalty rates have been identified and brought under the modern award

umbrella where not otherwise covered. Nonetheless, in the interests of equity, the

committee recommends that the government task the Department and/or the Fair

Work Commission to provide advice on how best to identify non-managerial and non-

professional employees who continue to work outside the coverage of a modern

award, and bring them within that coverage.

59 DEEWR, additional information, received 11 February 2013.

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28

Recommendation 1

2.63 The committee recommends that the government task the Department

and/or the Fair Work Commission to provide advice on how best to identify non-

managerial and non-professional employees who continue to work outside the

coverage of a modern award, and bring them within award coverage.

Non-compliance with requirement to pay penalty rates

2.64 The committee is also aware of media reports that hourly rates of $8 to $10

are not unusual among restaurant staff in Sydney and Melbourne, in spite of the

minimum wage being $15.96 per hour. Mr John Hart, representing Restaurant and

catering Australia is reported as estimating that 'about half' of restaurants and cafes in

Australia 'opt out' of regulations such as pay rates.60

2.65 It was also reported that:

The Fair Work Ombudsman, which polices the industry, makes a small

number of prosecutions each year. But it is drowning in complaints and

inquiries, which last year topped 52,000. It recovered wages owed to

around 1200 people working in the industry last year.61

2.66 The committee finds such reports deeply alarming, and explored the issue

more deeply at the Additional Estimates hearings in February 2013. Officials from the

Fair Work Ombudsman reported that:

If you look at the broad sector of accommodation and food services, which

takes in restaurant and catering, we identify it as a high-risk industry. It

makes up over 11 per cent of our overall complaints. In terms of the actual

contravention rates—so in terms of the complaints we receive and then in

what percentage do we find contraventions—we find nearly 60 per cent

contraventions. So it is certainly a sector that has our interest.62

2.67 On this basis, officials saw no reason to disagree with Mr Hart's reported

comments that about half of employers in the sector fail to comply fully with relevant

regulations.

2.68 It strikes the committee as being no wonder that some employers bemoan the

difficulty in achieving a reasonable return on their investment and labour, when they

face apparently widespread, unscrupulous competition employing labour at

significantly reduced rates.

2.69 When questioned on measures underway to tackle the problem, officials

detailed an active compliance program over recent years:

60 See, for example, Sydney Morning Herald, Wages of sin, 26 January 2013; The Age, Dishing

out pay of $8 an hour, 26 January 2013; The Age, Diners 'unwittingly fund hospitality

underclass', 18 January 2013.

61 The Age, Dishing out pay of $8 an hour, 26 January 2013.

62 Mr Ronson, Proof Estimates Hansard, 13 February 2013, p. 29.

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29

We have commenced a three-year campaign on what we are calling the

hospitality sector. It is a targeted campaign that will be run in three waves.

The first wave has commenced and that relates to hotels, pubs, bars and

taverns. The second wave—and we have just begun the consultation with

key stakeholders—specifically relates to restaurants. That part of the three-

year campaign—we are in our second year—has commenced and the actual

audits of the companies are expected to commence in August this year.

[S]ince July 2009—since the Fair Work Ombudsman came into being—

because this sector is so high risk we have actually commenced 15

campaigns across that sector. We are continually, if you like, running

campaigns in various pockets. We believe that is one way of ensuring a

level playing field. It is a massive sector with many employers. In terms of

your question about current activities, there are some activities that have

just been completed. We conducted a campaign in the last two years

through the ACT sector. We are currently conducting compliance activities

in Sydney's west. We are continually looking at various pockets in various

areas that need our attention to ensure a level playing field.63

2.70 The committee commends the Fair Work Ombudsman on its initiative, and is

confident that efforts already on foot will have some positive impact. Nonetheless, it

is also apparent that the scope of the problem is very broad, and while it would be

unrealistic to expect total compliance across all employers, the committee remains to

be convinced that existing efforts will address the problem to an acceptable level.

Conclusion

2.71 Providing for the payment of penalty rates as compensation for working

unsociable hours and weekends has been a feature of Australian workplace regulation

for almost 100 years. Industrial tribunals at the state and federal level over time have

determined and reiterated the position that penalty rates should be provided to

employees to compensate for work in these circumstances, even as community

standards about the nature, frequency and extent of working hours have changed. 64

2.72 Current penalty rates, as specified in modern awards, largely reflect state

awards which were in place prior to award modernisation. They are not a new

entitlement, nor do they represent a significant departure from earlier award

protections.65

2.73 In the committee's view, DEEWR was correct when it summarised that the

bill:

…has the potential to result in greater complexity, uncertainty, discontent

and adverse financial outcomes for employers and employees, including as

63 Mr Ronson, Proof Estimates Hansard, 13 February 2013, pp 28–9.

64 Gas Employees Case (1919), 13 CAR, Higgins J.

65 Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, Submission 418, p. 3.

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30

employees seek employment where they will be provided with safety net

wages appropriate for the days and times they work.66

2.74 Overall, the committee was not presented with any compelling evidence to

support claims that small businesses in the retail, restaurant and catering industries are

suffering to the extent that workers’ wages should be reduced. Reliable data indicating

that the viability of small businesses is at particular risk as a result of the existence of

penalty rates is similarly absent. Neither anecdotal evidence, nor evidence from

unreliable surveys, should be used to justify a Bill which will substantially reduce the

wages of some of the lowest-paid working Australians.

Recommendation 2

2.75 The committee recommends that the Senate not pass the bill.

Senator Gavin Marshall

Chair, Legislation Committee

66 Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, Submission 418, p. 9.

Page 39: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

COALITION SENATORS'

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

1.1 Coalition Senators firmly believe that the determination of Modern Awards

should stay with the independent tribunal, the Fair Work Commission. We do not

believe that the Parliament should be in the business of legislating on each and every

Modern Award – rather, the Parliament should provide a safety net and then let the

tribunal work out the details.

1.2 However it is important that Fair Work Australia take a common-sense

approach to the current review and future reviews

1.3 Coalition Senators are concerned about reports that young Australians are

being priced out of the labour market.

1.4 Coalition Senators have always believed in a fair day's pay for a fair day's

work and that workers who work unsociable hours or long shifts should have that

acknowledged in their pay. We believe in reward for effort.

1.5 At the same time we are very cognisant of the practical problems being

experienced by small business and workers and we encourage Fair Work Australia to

take a pragmatic approach to these issues.

1.6 Coalition Senators support the comments of Tourism Minister the Hon.

Martin Ferguson MP, who stated that::

I hope the bench of Fair Work Australia has given proper regard to the

input of the tourism industry in this context [penalty rates] because I

understand that is the key issue to industry at this point in time.1

1.7 Nonetheless, Coalition Senators support recommendation 2 of the Report.

Senator Back Senator Bridget McKenzie

Deputy Chair

1 ABC News Online, 'Tourism minister backs penalty change push', 5 September 2012,

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-05/hopes-for-penalty-rate-

relief/4243724?section=business (accessed 1 March 2013).

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Page 41: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

SENATOR NICK XENOPHON'S

DISSENTING REPORT

1.1 Small businesses in Australia are an integral part of the very fabric of our

society and economy. They are the businesses which many Australians are first

employed by and they are the first to lend their support to local communities,

particularly in regional communities. According to the Council of Small Business

Organisations of Australia, as at 30 June 2011, 93 per cent of retail businesses were

small and 84 per cent of businesses in the accommodation, café and restaurant

industries were small.1

1.2 Unfortunately, small businesses face a multitude of challenges today. Patchy

consumer sentiment and spending, the high Australian dollar, increasing input costs

(particularly electricity costs) and increasing labour costs have all contributed to a

difficult operating environment. A benchmarking survey conducted by Restaurant and

Catering Australia revealed that 18 per cent of small restaurant and catering

businesses were closed on weekends - which equates to the loss of approximately

3000 jobs – due to the financial burden of paying penalty rates. Restaurant and

Catering Australia also revealed:

We expect that we have had further reductions in staff numbers, given that

70.9 per cent of the respondents to our survey… reported that they would

be further reducing staff numbers as wage costs increased. One-third of the

businesses also reported that they intended to close their businesses on

weekends or public holidays as a result of those increases in costs.2

1.3 The importance of small businesses cannot be underestimated, nor can their

vulnerability in a soft economy. The Fair Work Amendment (Small Business –

Penalty Rates Exemption) Bill 2012 (‘the bill’) aims to give small businesses

employing less than 20 people in the retail and hospitality sector an exemption from

paying penalty rates unless the employee has worked for more than 10 hours in a 24

hour period or 38 hours in the week.

1.4 There was some debate amongst submitters as to the accuracy of data presented

regarding labour market conditions. The Australian Council of Trade Unions agreed

that meaningful data collection is required:

Senator XENOPHON: You referred to some industry specific ABS data and

said you do not support the assertions of Restaurant and Catering from their

surveys. Do you think there is some useful work to be done to establish a

consensus as to what job losses there have been and how many businesses have

1 Council of Small Business Australia, Submission 352, p. 2.

2 Mr John Hart, Chief Executive Officer, Restaurant and Catering Australia, Proof Committee

Hansard, 7 December 2012, p. 30.

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34

closed down on Sundays in that small business, restaurant and catering, and

retailing sector?...

Mr Lyons: We would never oppose the collection of meaningful data. It is

always better from an industrial participant's view and a public policy process

that we have all got the facts.3

Recommendation

1.5 That the Federal Government establish a mechanism to collect and

report on labour market conditions in a timely manner.

1.6 The bill seeks to recognise that Australia has moved away from the traditional

Monday to Friday work week and it is not uncommon for a 38 hour work week to

span weekends. Therefore the rationale for paying penalty rates on weekends which

form part of an ordinary 38 hour work week is less justifiable, particularly in the small

business context. The unique pressures on small businesses are reflected in the

provisions of this bill. It is not intended that the bill be extended in any circumstances

to businesses with more than 20 full time equivalent employees.

1.7 As was recently stated in the Sydney Morning Herald:

Economic growth without a significant population increase requires a

flexible workforce to be paid fair and affordable wages. When laws prevent

this and impose out-dated standards to the detriment of job creation and

higher incomes for all, it is time for modernisation.4

1.8 The Productivity Commission has provided valuable guidance in terms of

how to set penalty rates, explaining that:

In principle, penalty rates in awards should not be set in excess of the

minimum necessary to avoid unfair or unduly harsh treatment of

employees, and an efficient level of penalty rates would be one which is

just sufficient to induce people with appropriate skills to voluntarily work

the relevant hours. Some workers may be very comfortable with (or even

prefer) weekend and evening work and, for these people, the additional pay

incentive may not need to be as large as exists under the current penalty rate

structure. If work at existing penalty rates in keenly sought, this may also

be suggestive of those rates being higher than is necessary to compensate

workers for working at times that are inconvenient.5

1.9 It is clear from the submissions received and exchanges at the committee's

public hearing that the concept of penalty rates evokes a strong reaction from the

community. I welcomed the debate that took place because the reality is small

3 Senator Nick Xenophon and Mr Tim Lyons, Assistant Secretary, Australian Council of Trade

Unions, Proof Committee Hansard, 7 December 2012, p. 42.

4 Sydney Morning Herald, Editorial, 11 February 2013, p. 8.

5 Productivity Commission, Economic Structure and Performance of the Australian Retail

Industry, Report No. 56, 2011, p. 341.

Page 43: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

35

businesses are struggling and something must be done to ensure these businesses

remain in operation and continue to provide jobs.

1.10 However, I was disappointed that of the 30-odd pages in the committee’s

majority report only four pages were dedicated to reflecting the arguments in favour

of the bill.

1.11 Furthermore calls for an additional hearing were not heeded by the committee.

Despite this I believe some valuable contributions have been made during the course

of the inquiry.

The concept of a weekend

1.12 This bill was introduced in order to acknowledge the changing nature of

business trading hours, and the special needs of small businesses and their employees.

It was argued by some that this bill sought to eliminate the concept of a weekend.

Unions NSW submitted:

Whilst there have been significant increases in business hours in the last 50

years, Unions NSW does not believe that this makes the concept of the

weekend or public holiday redundant.6

1.13 This position was countered by Restaurant and Catering Australia:

I point out that a number of the submissions made by the trade union

movement make some points about this bill abolishing the weekend as we

know it. That is far from the truth. This is nothing about abolishing the

weekend. What it is really about is ensuring that small businesses can

manage their business and have profitable operations. The only way to do

that is to make sure that the business model that they have is something that

actually works.7

1.14 Restaurant and Catering Australia continued:

When you have, in some cases, low-skilled employees on hourly rates of

over $45 an hour you can understand why these small business

entrepreneurs are concerned.8

1.15 As the Explanatory Memorandum states, the Fair Work Act and modern

awards do not (generally) recognise this shift towards a seven day week:

The intention of this bill is to allow small businesses in the hospitality and

retail sector… to remain true to the original intention of penalty rates while

avoiding the high cost burden during specific days of the week.9

6 Unions NSW, Submission 416, p. 6.

7 Mr Greg Parkes, Workplace Relations Director, Restaurant and Catering Australia, Proof

Committee Hansard, 7 December 2012, p. 30.

8 Mr Greg Parkes, Workplace Relations Director, Restaurant and Catering Australia, Proof

Committee Hansard, 7 December 2012, p. 30.

9 Explanatory Memorandum, Fair Work Amendment (Small Business – Penalty Rates

Exemption) Bill 2012, p. 2.

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36

1.16 In fact, Mr John Hart, CEO, Restaurant and Catering Australia, told the

committee that since recent minimum wage increases some employers are now

'paying hourly wage rates during the week they used to pay employees inclusive of all

penalty rates under the pre-modern award system on Sundays'.10

He provided an

example of a casual waiter in Brisbane who in 2008 earned $17.87 an hour on

Sundays and in 2012 earns $25.93 an hour on Sundays. The same employee will now

earn $22.00 an hour Monday to Friday for shifts between 10am and midnight.

Recompense for working 'unsociable hours'

1.17 The Shop Distributive and Allied Employees' Association told the committee

about an analysis of Australian and international literature regarding the effect of

working unsociable hours:

For employees, the adverse effects include physical and mental health

problems, psychological distress, job satisfaction, poor work-life balance

and work-family strain. For families, there is a record of higher marital

discord and marital dissolution, more parenting stress, poorer education and

social outcomes for children, higher adolescent depression and anxiety,

poorer cognitive outcome and poorer mental health…11

1.18 Penalty rates were implemented in order to compensate the employee from

working unsocial hours and for the associated adverse effects listed above. However,

even more significant adverse effects could be attributable to a person who is not

employed. This bill seeks to prevent small businesses closing down and therefore to

allow workers to enjoy a regular income. This would have particular relevance to

employees who would find working on weekends more convenient, especially

university students.

1.19 The committee received a number of submissions from small businesses who

attributed rising labour costs as the reason fewer staff are employed and for shifts

being cut short. For example, multiple franchisees shared the views of this submitter:

I wish to provide my full support for the passage of this Bill through

Parliament as my labour costs have blown out since the introduction of the

Restaurant Industry Award regulated wages and penalty rates. Accordingly

I have cut back staff hours and employed less senior staff. If penalty rates

were abolished not only would my business be more viable on weekends I

would employ more staff and open longer hours. People expect us to be

open every day and night yet this can only be achieved if it is commercially

viable to trade through de-regulation of the mandatory penalty rates applied

under the Modern Industrial Award System.12

10 Restaurant and Catering Australia, Response to Question taken on notice, 7 December 2012

(received 14 January 2013).

11 Ms Daniela De Martino, National Industrial Officer, Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees'

Association, Proof Committee Hansard, 7 December 2012, p. 13.

12 The Coffee Club (Sandgate), Submission 946. See also Taco Bell Melton, Submission 949 and

Burroso's, Submission 933.

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37

The current regulatory environment

1.20 A considerable amount of time was devoted to examining the current

regulatory environment and whether it was appropriate for the legislature to interfere

with the jurisdiction of Fair Work Australia.

1.21 The ACTU argued that:

If passed, this Bill would remove existing wages and entitlements that have

been determined by an independent tribunal established by the Parliament

for the purpose of determining such matters….There is no basis for

Parliament to override this process for a section of the economy.13

1.22 However, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry disagreed:

The Committee will be aware that these businesses have a personal face.

They are largely micro businesses, many of whom are run by families and

owners (who) put in their own hours to keep open the doors. They sacrifice

time with their own families to run businesses during the day servicing the

demands of customers and consumers, only to return home at night to do

the paperwork. They run on tight margins and many have mortgaged their

own homes to take on a risk which ultimately provides for jobs in the

community. Small businesses should not be taken for granted and their

costs pressures, whatever their sources, need to be taken seriously and if

required, assisted by changes in the law.14

1.23 There were also concerns amongst small businesses that the objectives in

section 3 of the Fair Work Act 2009 do not afford sufficient protection to small

businesses. Restaurant and Catering submitted that:

The Fair Work Act also has in its objectives that there should be special

consideration of the needs of small- and medium-sized businesses. The

problem with the Fair Work Act and its objectives is that it does not go far

enough in relation to what looking after the special needs of small- and

medium-sized businesses means. We think this is an opportunity for the

Senate and the parliament to put something in place to help small

businesses continue on so that they evolve into larger and more profitable

businesses.15

1.24 It is therefore clear from a small business perspective that it is not only

desirable but necessary for Parliament to legislate for a more realistic operating

environment for small businesses. Given penalty rates have been a common feature in

Australia's labour market since the 1970s it is time that a review of their effectiveness

and suitability be undertaken particularly in the small business context.

1.25 With this in mind, any legislated changes must be phased in over a period of

five years in order to allow small businesses to make the necessary changes to their

13 ACTU, Submission 231, p. 3.

14 Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Submission 106, p. 6.

15 Mr Greg Parkes, Workplace Relations Director, Restaurant and Catering Australia, Proof

Committee Hansard, 7 December 2012, p. 30.

Page 46: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

38

hiring and staffing arrangements. Consideration should also be given to whether new

arrangements for weekend work should apply to new employees only. However, it

must not be forgotten that there are small businesses already on a knife's edge, and

therefore must be given some form of relief in order to continue operating in the short

to medium term.

Recommendation

1.26 That the bill be passed with a five year phase-in period.

Senator Nick Xenophon

Page 47: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

APPENDIX 1

Submissions received

1 Mrs Heather Smith

2 Name Withheld

3 Ms Pauline Morrison

4 Name Withheld

5 Mr Graeme Frappell

6 Name Withheld

7 Ms Marissa Ilsley

8 Mr Scott O'Keeffe

9 Ms Elspeth Gardner

10 Ms Michelle Fidock

11 Mr Dowon Cho

12 Mr Derek Page

13 Mr Roy Scaife

14 Ms Margaret Channon

15 Mr Grahame Saunders

16 Ms Jennifer Arrow

17 Mr Philip Lewis

18 Ms Sarah Thomas

19 Lindsay Thomson

20 Mr Michael Conway

21 Mr Michael Reid

22 Mr Richard Lourensz

23 Mr Goeffrey Kearney

24 Ms Suzanne Mammone

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40

25 Mr Rory Chapple

26 Mr Graham Barr

27 Mr Rolando Blandon

28 Mr Doug McFarland

29 Ms Lisa Anderson

30 Mr Paul Lieu

31 Ms Diana Sully

32 Ms Ann Brita Nilsson

33 Mr Simon Gray

34 Mr James Watt

35 Ms Karen Sheridan

36 Mr Bernard Butler

37 Mr Jonathan Vincent

38 Mr Mark Cohen

39 Ms Stephanie Mathieson

40 Mr Scott Drennan

41 Ms Justine Fischer

43 Ms Rosalind Haining

44 Mr John Groppi

45 Ms Sharon O'Grady

Supplementary Submission

46 Ms Margaret Fooks

47 Mr Nigel Robertson

48 Mr Evin Donohoe

49 Ms Suzanne Russell

50 Ms Jennifer Reed

51 Mr Bernie Hynes

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41

52 Mr James McAllister

53 Mr Rodney Jones

54 Lesley Douglass

55 Mr Webster Kyle

56 Mr Andrew Olsson

57 Mr Rob Pattison

58 Mr Scott Carriage

59 Mr Duncan Fairbairn

60 Ms Claire Firman

61 Mr David Dean

62 Ms Gloria Van Mosseveld

63 Ms Kay Hughes

64 Mr Alan Smith

65 Ms Sarah Rantall

66 Mr Brian Love

67 Leigh Rainbird

68 Mr Wayne Mawbey

69 Working Women's Centre SA Inc

70 Pay Justice Action

71 Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees' Association

Supplementary Submission 1

Supplementary Submission 2

Supplementary Submission 3

72 Ms Sharon Bennett

73 Australian Newsagents' Federation Ltd

74 APESMA

75 Australian Retailers Association

76 Ms Tracy Jones

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42

77 Mr Gary Price

78 Ms Paula Hanson

79 Ms Helen Gollan

80 Ms Virginia Mansel Lees

81 Mr Mark Marcus

82 Mr David Tannahill

83 Mr Anthony Oldfield

84 Ms Heather Wallace

85 Mr Steve Kennewell

86 Mr James Gyngell

87 Mr Daniel Stone

88 Mr Peter Enge

89 Ms Audra Davies

90 Mr Karl Crisafulli

91 Ms Brigid-Ann Lord

92 Ms Muriel Grieve

93 Mr Peter Ridgewell

94 Mr Gary Brown

95 Ms Maria Lawson

96 Mr Paul Reiner

97 Mr Michael Lynn

98 Ms Jennifer Levett

99 Mr Ewan Cox

100 Mr Daniel Golden

101 Fouzia Aden

102 Mr Peter Shead

103 Mr Trevor Shell

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43

104 Mr Steven Falivene

105 Mr Robert May

106 Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

107 Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry

108 UnionsWA

109 Freedom Socialist Party

110 Name Withheld

111 Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland

112 Australian Catholic Council for Employment Relations

113 Job Watch Inc

114 Name Withheld

115 Small Business Development Corporation

116 Australian Federation of Employers and Industries

117 Ms Susan Jackson

118 Ms Ruth Boydell

119 Mr Phil Jones

120 Mr Phillip Vassallo

121 Ms Sue Brown

122 Ms Polly Walker

123 Mr Peter Francis

124 Mr Phil Grant

125 Kym Russell

126 Mr Douwe Goedhart

127 Mr Anthony Mcaleer

128 Ms Miriam Walter

129 Mr Jackson Black

130 Mr Michael Dowling

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44

131 Ms Lisa Rush

132 Ms Janine Garrier

134 Mr Alistair Parr

135 Ms Leone Clough

136 Ms Carmen Thaller

137 Ms Anne Goodfellow

138 Ms Catherine Crittenden

139 Mr Matthew Holle

140 Ms Fiona Deegan

141 Ms Julie McDonald

142 Mr Anthony Beer

143 Mr Carlo Arena

144 Mr Tim Causer

145 Mr Michael Schembri

146 Gabriel Oriti

147 Mr Gerard D'souza

148 Mr Adam Deane

149 Mr George Piggins

150 Ms Emmy Capaan

151 Mr Ian Robinson

152 Mr Bob Elliston

153 Mr Paul Black

154 Mr Christopher Mcintyre

155 Mr Darren Dwyer

156 Ms Tanya Davis

157 Mr Anthony Nardella

158 Ms Wendy Dunn

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45

159 Mr Jim Higgins

160 Mr Mark Taylor

161 Mr Robert Egan

162 Ms Kanticha Fumfuai

163 Mr Kevin Keane

164 Mr Bob Innis

165 Mr Simon Hickling

166 Mr Matthew Kamer

167 Mr Travis Chalkley

168 Ms Lynda Groom

169 Ms Georgina Kategiannis

170 Mr Jason Atkinson

171 Dieter Huber

172 Mr Scott Carruthers

173 Mr Ryan Collins

174 Ms Anna Bridle

175 Mr Shaun Mcquaid

176 Mr David Mcgrath

177 Mr David Bremner

178 Mr Ewdard Bacon

179 Ms Paula Houghton

180 Mr Mathew Sproule

181 Mitra Jovanovic

182 Ms Helen Bell

183 Andreas Gavriel

184 Mr Roberto Smythe

185 Mr Glen Mitchell

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46

186 Mr Alan Gilbert

187 Mr Benjamin May

188 Mr Jason Egan

189 Mr Michael Eiberg

190 Mr Slobodan Angelkoski

191 Mr Denis Roscoe

192 Mr Ray Maybury

193 Ms Vicki Stirling

194 Mr Shane Stevens

195 Mr Martin Trama

196 Dzevad Ibric

197 Mr Warwick Rothacker

198 Mr Anthony Zagorc

199 Mr David Collard

200 Mr John Fitzpatrick

201 Ewhen Kowal

202 Mr Cameron Staples

203 Mr Byron Craig

204 Mr Chris Wilkinson

205 Mr Joe Worboys

206 Mr Mark Gilligan

207 Mr Doug Reckord

208 Mr Michael Agius

209 Mr Cameron Barnes

210 Balraj Singh

211 Ms Patrice Vallet

212 Students' Representative Council - University of Sydney

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47

213 Mr Bernard Gallen

214 Ms Julie Vojneski

215 Mr Stephen Evans

216 Ms Mary Bond

217 Mr Trevor Dean

218 Mr Tony Lau

219 Ms Mandy Dempsey

220 Ms Carol Corless

221 Mr Brett Maddock

222 Mr Dave Packer

223 Ms Jenna Butturini

224 Mr Andrew Sidebottom

225 Mr Shane Oliver

226 Ms Melissa Buglar

227 Mr Patrick Cook

228 Mr Brenton Grocke

229 Mr Peter Howlett

230 Mr Bruce Hill

231 ACTU

232 Name Withheld

233 Mrs Sandra Bradley

234 Mr Garry Wilson

235 Mr Doug Kelly

236 Mr Daniel De Mol

237 Ms Jodi Hyde

238 Mr John Taylor

239 Mr Ian Rogers

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48

240 Mr Michael Woods

241 Mr Sean McCourt

242 Mr Dave Butterworth

243 Mr Tim Mathews

244 Mr Tim Frazer

245 Mr William Fenner

246 Mr Graham Newell

247 Mr Matt Bantick

248 Mr Carl Kirwin

249 Mr Bernard Oliver

250 Mr Richard Stephenson

251 Mr Garry Laing

252 Heiko Viefhaus

253 Mr Graham Rogers

254 Mr Adrian Cummings

255 Mr Dave Chestnutt

256 Mr Terence O'Brien

257 Mr David Dixon

258 Mr Gavin Gillett

259 Mr Brian Cutler

260 Ms Sarah Brown

261 Mr Peter Cooke

262 Mr Wayne Dunseath

263 Mr David Taylor

264 Mr Aaron Meredith

265 Ms Glenys Kendal

266 Mr Milan Pupavac

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49

267 Mr Peter Anderton

268 Mr Adam Bennett

269 Mr David Wilson

270 Mr Aaron Monks

271 Matan Lavi

272 Mr Brian Hastie

273 Mr Steve Lange

274 Mr Dave Stephens

275 Ms Linda Coyle

276 Ms Pauline Olson

277 Mr Gareth Davies

278 Dayna Knowles

279 Mr Karl Reed

280 Mr James Allen

281 Mr Rod MacLennan

282 Ms Joanne Bower

283 Mr Ian Dayman

284 Mr David Parsons

285 Mr Evan Winstanley

286 Shan Williams

287 Ms Kristy Youd

288 Mr Simon Bodfish

289 Mr Wayne Cobbing

290 Ms Maree Waters

291 Mr Jim Stirling

292 Mr Richard Leigh

293 Ms Andrea Garwood

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294 Mr Michael Booth

295 Mr Craig Tate

296 Alex Donnelly

297 Kym Jones

298 Mr Daniel Wright

299 Vance Painter

300 Tracey Purcell

301 Mr Daniel Cohen

302 Mr David Wellmann

303 Ms Denise Barnett

304 Mr Rick Sullivan

305 Mr Alan Mcconnachy

306 Mr Richard Scarff

307 Ms Maria Dege

308 Ms Brenda Cawthorne

309 Mr Shane Daley

310 Ms Rebecca Ludwick

311 Robyn Moroney

312 Mr Joseph Harland

313 Mr Mick Fiolet

314 Alynn Pratt

315 Ms Debbie Ellis

316 Mr Kevin Nunn

317 Ashleigh Lustica

318 Australian Services Union

319 Ms Karina Morgan

320 Mr Stuart Grigg

Page 59: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

51

321 Mr Jos Vandersman

322 Ms Melissa de Silva

323 Ms Gillian Joiner

324 Mr Denis Millar

325 Mr Peter Hood

326 Mr Ken Mayes

327 Mr Tony Brooks

328 Mr Matthew Drake-Brockman

329 Daryl Sandford

330 Mr Ron Chenoweth

331 Mr Tim Niven

332 Ms Janene Metcalfe

333 Ms Ellen Richardson

334 Ms Kirsty Burke

335 Alex Donaldson

336 Andries Combrinck

337 Ms Veronica Adolphe

338 Mr Andrew Olsson

339 Mr Robert Smith

340 Ms Lara Shanahan

341 Mr Greg Barker

342 Ms Sandra Murray

343 Mr James Hautot

344 Mr Geoff Browne

345 Mr Mick Bee

346 Mr Gavin Swayn

348 Ms Gillian Harrison

Page 60: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

52

349 Mr Gregory Daly

350 Mr Peter Cartwright

351 Sharn Forsyth

352 Council of Small Business of Australia

353 Audrey and Tom McDonald

354 The Original Pancake Kitchen

355 Mr Neil White

356 Ms Denise Woolsey

357 Indiyum Restaurant Pty Ltd.

358 Sorelle Restaurant

359 Chocolate @ No. 5

360 Via Italia

361 Puccini's Restaurant

362 Pat Francis

363 Melvyn Cheal

364 Mr Carlos Van Nek

365 Mr Mark Bondfield

366 Mr Don Smith

367 Mr John Deacon

368 Mr Bill Shaw

369 Mr Russ Webb

370 Mr Luke Hays

371 Mr Micheal Puttock

372 Ms Karen Lewis

373 Ms Maria Riet

374 Ms Mel Rushby

375 Mrs Mary Madigan

Page 61: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

53

376 Mr Brett Griffiths

377 Mr Tom Simpson

378 Ms Emily Flett

379 Cian O'Dwyer

380 Mr Steven Diston

381 Mr Dan Bourke

382 Mr Graeme Edgerton

383 Mr Edward Godwell

384 Vera Kaliczinsky

385 Mr Loukas Mavrikios

386 Ms Annette Wood

387 Nissanka Jayalal

388 Mr Max Popovic

389 Mr Steven Curren

390 Mr Keith Hailey

391 Mr Kirk Paterson

392 Mr Owen Bennett

393 Ms Tracy Roberts

394 Mr Andrew Mahar

395 Mr Phil Graham

396 Ms Joan Cottrell

397 Mr Ronald Maskell

398 Bernie Maxwell

399 Mr Tarek Soueid

400 Mr Bruce Campbell

401 Ms Ann Holmes

402 Ms Janice Poulson

Page 62: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

54

403 Mr Jeff Cassar

404 Mr Evan Walters

405 Mr Daniel Conway

406 Mr Clinton Lewin

407 Mr Reindert Toia

408 Mr Nick George

409 Mr Shane Larson

410 Mr Tim Sezai

411 Mr Kevin Eagle

412 Mr Shane Van Heusden

413 Mr Russell Cavanagh

414 Mr Dale Menadue

415 Queensland Council of Unions

416 Unions NSW

417 United Voice

418 Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

419 Australian Industry Group

420 Mr Greg Hollands

421 Mr Anthony Bray

422 Mr Gary Harrower

423 Sergio Schiessler

424 Kim Lindgren

425 Mr Glenn Jones

426 Mr Peter Faith

427 Mr Darron Hull

428 Mr Stephen Miller

429 Mr Roger Mcarthur

Page 63: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

55

430 Mr Guy Henderson

431 Mr Randall Bowley

432 Ms Tamara Lawson

433 Mr Peter Cairns

434 Rangi Rewharewha

435 Ms Harriett Perry

436 Ms Wendy Haydock

437 Mr Graham Allen

438 Mr Shaun Wedekind

439 Mr Bob Rackemann

440 Ms Jennifer McNiven

441 Mr John Tully

442 Ms Gillian King

443 Mr Brian Mitchell

444 Mr Peter Macinnis

445 Ms Isobel Bobir

446 Ms Kate Morris

447 Ms Pauline Bleach

448 Mr Allan Forsyth

449 Ms Ellen Van Haren

450 Mr John Barnett

451 Ms Sandra Gore

452 Restaurant and Catering

Additional Information 1

453 Mr James McAllister

455 Ms Susan Horsley

456 Mr Rohan Lee

Page 64: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

56

457 Ms Rachel Heinrichs

458 Mr Lawrence Caruana

459 Mr Daniel Vincent

460 Ms Deniese Lawson

461 Mr Dennis Gladman

462 Ms Jennifer Hickey

463 Ms Gill Jeffery

464 Mr Darin Broughton

465 Ms Susan de Bomford

466 Mr Don Tumilty

467 Mr Greg Page

468 Mr Ian MacLeod

469 Mr David Turnbull

470 Mr Steve Kenworthy

471 Mr Gerard Doorakkers

472 Ms Penelope Joy

473 Mr Ian Hopkins

474 Ms Jan Robinson

475 Mr Tim Boyanton

476 Ms Vicki Graham

477 Mr Jason Murphy

478 Mr Stephen Donaldson

479 Ms Margaret Foy

480 Ms Anne Revell

481 Mr Tony Bell

482 Ms Sandra Thapa

483 Mr Norman Heckenberg

Page 65: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

57

484 Mr Geoff Hillier

485 Mr Michael Johnson

486 Mr Terry Neuendorf

487 Mr John Prpic

488 Maurice Perry

489 Ms Zoe Yates

490 Mr Gary Robertson

491 Chris Lalor

492 Mr Grahame Auston

493 Mr Justan Knoff

494 Ms Dawn Skelton

495 Mr Tim Tansey

496 Mr Alister Gehrmann

497 Mr Nick Lefkadiis

498 Ms Heather de la Motte

499 Ms Lynanne Butturini

500 Mr Michael Lee

501 Mr Bob Fawcett

502 Ms Maryanne Duggan

503 Mr Ross Paton

504 Ms Marie Stannus

505 Ms Jenny Papani

506 Mr Jason Clement

507 Ms Piquet Copeland

508 Mr John Keogh

509 Mr Greg Fleming

510 Mr John Mortlock

Page 66: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

58

511 Mr Glen Humphreys

512 Mr Paul Lemist

513 Ms Carolyn Brookes

514 Ms Sandra Davenport

515 Mr Alan McEvoy

516 Mr James Harvey

517 Ms Rosemary Iacono

518 The Pharmacy Guild of Australia

519 Ms Louise Snowdon

520 Ms Kim Sayers

521 Mr Les Quinn

522 Mr Max Lloyd-West

523 Mr Barry Moore

524 Mr Stephen Keily

525 Mr Bill Whitehead

526 Ms Jen Midkiff

527 Ms Jewel Wheeler

528 Ms Jane Scott

529 Mr Julius Timmerman

530 Ms Jennifer Jinks

531 Mr Glen Smyth

532 Miguel Duran

533 Mr Timothy White

534 Ms Catherine Story

535 Mr Rob Vail

536 Lou Baxter

537 Ms Jill Loane

Page 67: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

59

538 Mr Terrence Purdey

539 Mr Ross Harper

540 Queensland Nurses' Union

541 Mr Jeff Smith

542 Ms Tamara Stubbs

543 Mr Roger Cass

544 Ms Sally Morris

545 Mr John Carter

546 Mr Laurence McCurdy

547 Mr Jack Schwartz

548 Mr Craig Moyle

549 Mr Robert Tendelli

550 Mr Peter Robson

551 Ms Kim Grundy

552 Mr Bradley Crouch

553 Mr Tony Huxley

554 Mr Glen Camenzuli

555 Mr Chris Bradley

556 Mr Michael Tassone

557 Mr John King

558 Ms Claire Coller

559 Mr Thomas Males

560 Mr Terry Munday

561 Mr Anthony Johnstone

562 Mr Ian McCallum

563 Ms Alice Lydall

564 Terri Berends

Page 68: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

60

565 MS Hannah Christensen

566 Mr Peter Brown

567 Ms Kathy Nash

568 Ioan Despi

569 Mr Gilbert Texier

570 Mr Ben Hockings

571 Mr John Ambrose

572 Mr Karl Olson

573 Mr Johnny Batchelor

574 Mr Scott Wilson

575 Pia Cerveri

576 Lee Constable

577 Ms Farah Sultani

578 Mr Peter Thurgood

579 Ms Verity Taylor

580 Mr Andrew Forrest

581 Mr Geoff Byron

582 Mr Bruce Charles Gale

583 Ms Leonie Dean

584 Ms Jane Cook

585 Ms Jo-Ann Davidson

586 Ms Amanda Spinks

587 Mr Peter Murphy

588 Mr David Anderson

589 Ms Donna Poulton

590 Ms Diane Smith

591 Ms Helen Macias

Page 69: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

61

592 Ms Alyce Goodwin

593 Mr Martin Sun

594 Mr Rod Kippax

595 Mr Steve Robinson

596 Mr Charles Sowerwine

597 Mr Darryl Balks

598 Ms Jodie Stubbs

599 Mr Jason Wright

600 Synned Aborro

601 Mr David Stone

602 Mr Brett Holmes

603 Mr Paul Nudd

604 Mr Dallas Thompson

605 Mr Michael Avalos

606 Ms Monica Tribe

607 Ms Linda Lutherborrow

608 Ms Rhiannon Noltorp

609 Mr Ian Evans

610 Mr Phil Bonning

611 Mr Ewen Kloas

612 Ms Philippa O'Dowd

613 Mr Jack Schwartz

614 Mr David Henderson

615 Ms Carmen Blanco

616 Mr David Lewin

617 Mr Raymond Briggs

618 Ms Darlene Billett

Page 70: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

62

619 Milkha Singh Dhaliwal

620 Ms Janet Roden

621 Mr Benjamin Newman

622 Ms Colleen` Enchelmaier

623 Ms Kate Boyd

624 Mr Graeme West

625 Ms Rosanna Kellett

626 Ms Patricia Galea

627 Kash Stha

628 Ms Jenny Douglas

629 Ms Simone Shaw

630 Kerry Emmett

631 Ms Jacquene Boyce

632 Ms Wendy Fogarty

633 Ms Dianne MacDougall

634 Ms Stephanie Cunio

635 Mr Greg Lilly

636 Mr Stephen Eldridge

637 Ms Melissa Dixon

638 Ms Marlene Palmai

639 Ms Anthea Sjoberg

640 Ms Trudy Hopkins

641 Mr James Scott

642 Ms Kathryn Cheney

643 Ms Glenys Serslev

644 Ms Cassandra Barford

645 Ms Lucinda Peters

Page 71: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

63

646 Ms Kate Adams

647 Ms Victoria Busch

648 Ms Norma Buttriss

649 Ms Jennifer Thompson

650 Ms Belinda Hart

651 Ms Elizabeth Oak

652 Amit Parmar

653 Ms Sylvia Sullivan

654 Mr Glen Kellner

655 Ms Wendy Starr

656 Ms Lisa Sheens

657 Ms Linda Robertson

658 Ms Jane Skardon

659 Mr Colin Burke

660 Mr Matthew Gillman

661 Ms Mary Jenkins

662 Ms Elizabeth Hillian

663 Mr Robert Everitt

664 Ms Anne Maree Jack

665 Mr Don Lappin

666 Mr John French

667 Ms Jennie Claire McHalick

669 Ms Dianne Dryden

670 Ms Michelle Selden

671 Ms Michelle Mackintosh

672 Ms Kerrie Hay-Smith

673 Ms Kim Taylor

Page 72: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

64

674 Ms Dianne Pritchard

675 Ms Regina Tomazetti

676 Ms Vicki King

677 Ms Brigita Feltham

678 Mr Stephen Knynenburg

679 Mr Brian Sweeney

680 Ms Nora Walker

681 Mr Norbert Pereira

682 Ms Anna Marie Mannion

683 Ms Kerrie Ellison

684 Mr Evan Gabriel

685 Ms Jenny Cossor

686 Ensieh Amini-Ghomi

687 Mr Geoffrey Ewin

688 Ms Jenny Holmes

689 Ms Christine Carson

690 Ms Danielle McDonald

691 Ms Trudie Laffan

692 Ms Elizabeth Maurer

693 Ms Bronwyne Bevan

694 Ms Julie Donoghoe

695 Ms Nicola Young

696 Ms Judy Moldenhauer

697 Ms Vicki Kell

698 Ms Michelle Sharp

699 Ms Anne Maggs

700 Ms Katrina Weir

Page 73: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

65

701 Ms Jessica Gray

702 Ms Leigh Pfeiffer

703 Terry Head

704 Mr Brian Bruce

705 Ms Kim McIntyre

706 Gay Woodhouse

707 Ms Kayleen O'Reilly

708 Ms Jill Fisher

709 Morag Williams

710 Mr Russel Mills

711 Ms Sally Bamblett

712 Ms Lena Boshnyak

713 Ms Linda Hardman

714 Mr Gerard Oomen

715 Ms Robyn Forrester

716 Ms Eleanor Lord

717 Kitsa Talianas

718 MS Annmaree Geering

719 Ms Janice Lewis

720 MS Deborah Van Der Sluys

721 Mr Colin Gaul

722 Ms Kate Stewart

723 Ms Yvette Brouff

724 Ms Alison Nebart

725 Ms Donna Cook

726 Ms Mary Crichton

727 Ms Helen Grazek

Page 74: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

66

728 Ms Ann Murphy

729 Ms Janet Tyrer

730 Ms Kay Stimson

731 Ms Colleen Evans

732 Ms Cheryl Pascual

733 Ms Therese Cameron

735 Ms Anne Parish

736 Ms Alena Ward

737 Mr John Watt

738 Ms Beth White

739 Mr Matt Ring

740 Ms Jenny Hughes

741 Ms Deborah Chant

742 Ms Simone Davis

743 Mr Kenneth Rule

744 Ms Dianne Smith

745 R. Warden

746 Ms Sandra Monger

747 Ms Sheila Cramer

748 Ms Lisa Woolfrey

749 Mr Mark Winn

750 Ms Mung No Cheng

751 Mr Nick Dunne

752 Mr Nick Abbink

753 A Gourmet Plate

754 Ms Lea Shannon

755 The Coffee Club

Page 75: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

67

756 Cocolat Rundle St

757 Aztecmontezuma

758 Thyme Cafe Restaurant

759 Ed Dixon Food Design Pty. Ltd.

760 Penny Garden Restaurant

761 Shanikas Resturant

762 Donto Sapporo Japanese Restaurant

763 Vibe Waterfront Bar and Restaurant

764 The Burger Bar Noosa

765 Cafe Roma

766 Rigoni's Bistro

767 Gurpreet Singh

768 Coffee By Di Bella

769 George's Paragon Seafood Restaurant

770 Ms Robyn Fitzpatrick

771 Turret Cafe

772 Diva Tea and Coffee House

773 Lobethal Bierhaus

774 Michaels Brasserie, Narooma

775 Zouch Catering Group

776 Luciano Fabbri

777 Delish of Erina

778 La Grande Bouffe

779 Cafe Bettina

780 Wild Dog Winery

781 The Organic Market and Cafe

782 Assisi Cafe Ristorante

Page 76: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

68

783 Mr Nick Ates

Supplementary Submission 1

784 Saltwater Cafe and Restaurant

785 Mr Robert L Wignall

786 Mr Marco Piat

787 Ms Joanne Tapiolas

788 Mr Peter Cianci

789 Cocina Restaurant

790 Betty Beans Coffee Emporium

791 Azure Cafe

792 Metro Cafe and Events

793 Bayleaf Catering

794 Aubergine

795 Guthega Alpine Inn

797 University Cafe

Supplementary Submission

798 Restaurant Le Paradis

799 Simpatico Bistro

800 The Boat House by the Lake

801 The Edge Food Store

802 The Currant Shed

803 Sesames Restaurants

804 Ms Amanda Yazbek

805 Grazing Restaurant

806 Treasury on King William

808 Angelo's On the Bay

809 Francesco Nardi

810 Port Geographe Tavern Pty Ltd

Page 77: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

69

811 Mr John Toubia

812 Chabaar Restaurant

813 Mr Jeff Gale

814 Ms Janet Maclean

815 Cafe Delissio

816 Chillipadi Group

817 The Deli Bulimba

818 St Kilda Pier Kiosk and Little Blue Restaurant

819 Ms Shirley Thomas

820 Wine Odessey Australia

821 Big Fat Greek Bar and Grill

822 Iku Wholefood Kitchen Pty Ltd

823 Cafe Bambini JCU

824 Bram Leigh Receptions

825 Mr Stefano Rossi

826 Ms Cindy Halasz

827 Mr Jon Brady

828 Ms Lisa Parianos

829 Bon Aroma Restaurant

830 The Hobson Stores

831 Mr Vince Anello

832 Terrazza Cafe Restaurant and Pizzeria

833 Jam Corner

834 The South Melbourne Trader

835 Tuileries Restaurant Rutherglen

836 Mount Beauty Bakery

837 Sheldon Wearne

Page 78: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

70

838 WineCountry Catering Pty Ltd

839 Qi'lin Restaurant

840 Ms Rosemary Portelli

841 Shehnai Tandoori Indian Restaurant

842 Harvest Restaurant

843 Mr George Issa

844 Caves Beachside Cuisine Pty Ltd

845 La Boheme Restaurant and Cafe

846 Pittstop Catering

847 Soda Sunlounge

848 Trigg Pizza

849 Soda Cafe

850 Cafe Bliss Kenmore

851 Harem Turkish Restaurant

852 The Old Vine

853 Cafe Sani

854 Imperial Peking Souths Juniors

855 Rustlers Steakhouse

856 Indian Tandoori Restaurant Albury

857 Mr Jonathan Burfurd

858 Columbia Cafe and Bar

859 Lido Cafe Restaurant

860 Shalini Carnevale

861 Mr Garry Griffin

862 Ms Doris Khan

863 Alex Allen

864 Phuoc Toan Nguyen

Page 79: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

71

865 Mr Keith Rowlands

866 Fiasco Ristorante and Bar

867 Crave Catering

868 Weston Hospitality

869 Bushrangers Bar and Brasserie

870 Wasabi Restaurant and Bar

871 Lexie's on the Beach

872 Mr Tony Crowe

873 Ecucina Bar/Restaurant

874 Mr Simon McNamara

875 Ms Lisa Slaughter

876 Mr Stuart Lofthouse

877 Mr Harry Lambropoulos

878 Pure Espresso Pty Ltd.

879 George's Paragon Seafood Restuarant

880 MCA Restaurant, Circular Quay

881 Windy Point Restaurant and Cafe

882 The Bank Cafe and Espresso

883 The Marina Cafe Church Point

884 Oliver's on James Street

885 Renzo Deleonardis

886 Sauce Bar and Grill

887 Whet Restaurant

888 Da Vinci Ristorante Pizzeria

889 Lobethal Bierhaus

890 Mr Dennis Ruzzene

891 Ms Elizabeth Long

Page 80: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

72

892 Sea Cow Restaurant and Take Away

893 Spice of Life Cafe Deli

894 Mr David Campbell

895 Delivino On Tamborine

896 Spaghetti Tree

897 Lemon Cafes Pty Ltd

898 Sails on the Lake

899 Qadisha Lebanese Catering

900 High Valley Wine and Cheese Co

901 Mr Gregory Lo Presti

902 Mr George Alexopoulos

903 The Coffee Club Tamworth

904 Pavilion by the Pier

905 The Aviator Lounge

906 Little India Bistro and Tandoor

907 Subsolo Restaurant

908 Jetty's Restaurant

909 The Coffee Club

910 Roadies Cafe

911 Sixty Seven Dining

912 Mr Jim Dimitropoulos

913 Montmartre by the Sea Cafe

914 Taco Bill

Supplementary Submission 1

915 Zest Waterfront Venues

916 Simply Sensational Catering and Events

917 Ms Susan Meadowcroft

Page 81: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

73

918 Mr Peter Ford

919 Two Buoys

920 The Oysterbeds

921 The Olive Branch Cafe and Catering

922 Ms Ruby Minocha

923 Ms Belinda W Lai

924 Dish Cafe Parkes Radio Telescope

925 Sails on Lavender Bay Restaurant

926 Tokar Estate

927 The Coffee Club

928 Verve Cafe

929 Name not legible

930 Ms Sheree Allen

931 Salsa Bar and Grill

932 Mr Norm Frohnert

933 Borruso's

934 Domanis Cafe Restaurant and Bar

935 Amory Catering

936 Mr Cameron Taylor

Supplementary Submission 1

937 Abell's Kopi Tiam

938 Victorian Golden Roast

939 Vietdelites Restaurant

940 Name not legible

941 Luscious Affairs Toorak

942 Speciality Coffee and Smart Food

943 My Thai Restaurant

Page 82: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

74

944 B. Goldfinch

945 The Coffee Club

Supplementary Submission 1

946 The Coffee Club

947 The Coffee Club

948 Stapletons Restaurant

949 Taco Bill Melton

950 Mr Michael Verga

951 Delight Foods Pty Ltd

952 Weston Restaurants

953 Seven Stones Restaurant

954 Ms Kim Richwol

Supplementary Submission 1

955 Mr Peter Gordon

Supplementary Submission 1

Supplementary Submission 2

956 Mr Rex Gordon

957 Mr Dave Ebert

958 Mr Christopher Christophidis

959 Perminder Thind

960 Ms Jullianne Thind

961 Casey Millikin Murray

962 Ms Elizabeth Horsburgh

963 Ms Judith Kwiatek

964 Ms Anna Halls

965 Ms Gillian Stubley

966 May Graham

967 Ms Vanessa Caval

968 Mr Luke Potts

Page 83: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

75

969 Ms Rachel Pollard

970 Ms Michele Scarcella

971 Ms Diane Mood

972 Ms Grace Rae

973 Ms Jennifer Short

974 Ms Isabelle Hughes

975 Ms Helen Kearney

976 Mr Anthony Forrester

977 Ms Barbara Maguire

978 Gunilla Haydon

979 Mr Robert McDermott

980 Ms Jan Maskell

981 Ms Rose Oliphant

982 Ms Michelle Constance

983 Mr David Gannon

984 Ms Melissa Toms

985 Ms Ailsa Seguna

986 Cor Fillarca

987 Mr Stephen Macdonald

988 Mr William Mason

989 Nuala Fogarty

990 Mr Gareth Brown

991 Ms Vanessa Barahona

992 Ms Maree Ryan

993 Mr Mark Huxstep

994 Ms Angela Pridham

995 Ms Diane Ireland

Page 84: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

76

996 Ms Beverley Hanna

997 Ms Felicity Rostron

998 Ms Jane Wright

999 Ms Colleen Thomas

1000 Ms Alley Kuttykrishnan

1001 Ms Katrina Koo

1002 Ms Jenni Sullivan

1003 Ms Annette Gilbert

1004 Ms Janine Wangemann

1005 Ms Amanda McGurgan

1006 Mr Ian Anderson

1007 Ms Elizabeth Browne

1008 Mr Victor Ayers

1009 Ms Roberta Elston

1010 Ms Margaret Earsman

1011 Ms Diane Swainson

1012 Ms Lucy Coll

1013 Ms Wendy Lance

1014 Ms Renae Toogood

1015 Ms Catharine Delfendahl

1016 Ms Linda Patterson

1017 Ms Bronwyn Mascord

1018 Fatema Islam

1019 Mr Tony Heathwood

1020 Mr Graham Wardell

1021 Ms Katy Hunt

1022 Lea Collins

Page 85: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

77

1023 Ms Gina Parslow

1024 Ms Fiona Millington

1025 Ms Lauren Palmai

1026 Ms Kathryn Powell

1027 Ms Helen Teakel

1028 Ms Katrina Austin

1029 Ms Pushpaleela Puhenthirar

1030 Solange Villagran

1031 Mr Shane Leonard

1032 Mr Stephen Carey

1033 Sumit Singh

1034 Mr Daniel Carey

1035 Ms Alana Darmanin

1036 Ms Robyn Laurenson

1037 Ms Carol Donaldson

1038 Ms Beverley Breeze

1039 Ms Ang Roach

1040 Ms Felicity Kleu

1041 Ms Emma Schaefer

1042 Ms Gail Dwyer

1043 Ms Sarah Bovington

1044 Ms Jess Miller

1045 Ms Emma Pollock

1046 Ms Anna Benn

1047 Nirav Thakker

1048 Ms Christine Lee

1049 Ms Maria Baker

Page 86: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

78

1050 Mr Jim Dow

1051 Attaullah Jan

1052 Ms Deborah Reid

1053 Ms Narelle Zappas

1054 Ms Marina Cheung

1055 Ms Sarah Smythe

1056 Mr Stuart McKiernan

1057 Ms Deidre Guthrie

1058 Mr Paul Riviere

1059 Mr David Nielsen

1060 Ms Fiona Ostini

1061 Phemelo Pitso

1062 Mr Gordon Blair

1063 Mr Karl Amos

1064 Ms Hayley Butler

1065 Paulo Gomes

1066 Ms Patricia Roberts

1067 Ms Heather Kenny

1068 Mr Lucas Turner

1069 Ms Flor Gonzaga

1070 Ms Donna Leaon

1071 Ms Sherry Brown

1072 Ms Jessica Johnston

1073 Kerry Rees

1074 Ms Marisa Carney

1075 Ms Lyn Gumm

1076 Mr Peter Stein

Page 87: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

79

1077 Ms Ainslie Mansell

1078 Ms Valerie Patterson

1079 Watson Johny

1080 Ms Mary Salmon

1081 Mr Clinton Beale

1082 Ms Eileen Mcallister

1083 Ms Laura Velm

1084 Ms Heidi Anderson

1085 De Pedro Mary Joy

1086 Ms Annette Drapalski

1087 Ms Catherine Smith

1088 Mr Ron Peterson

1089 Ms Lauren Farmer

1090 Ms Linda Harvey

1091 Mr Craig Small

1092 Robyn Atherton

1093 Ms Leah Bunyan

1094 Ms Susan Wardle

1095 Ms Noeleen Lennon

1096 Mr Thomas Swift

1097 Ms Elizabeth Metz

1098 Ms Kathryn Mussing

1099 Zarko Djekic

1100 Ms Cheryl Cassell

1101 Sorell Masters

1102 Mr Rhys Goodwin

1103 Ms Susan Vaughan

Page 88: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

80

1104 Ms Rachel Upton

1105 Rameshwar Reddy Gamannagari

1106 Ms Jennifer Clarke

1107 Ms Jacqueline Price

1108 Ms Daphne Burrows

1109 Ms Gloria Albert

1110 Mr Andrew Tracey-Smith

1111 Mr Peter Cameron

1112 Mr Matthew Bradfield

1113 Ms Nicoletta Zuydervelt

1114 Ms Lauren Dickson

1115 Ms Roslyn Dennett

1116 Ms Lesley Miller

1117 Ms Holly Allen

1118 Ms Christine Ibbett

1119 Ms Karen Eddie

1120 Ms Nicole Winkley

1121 Mr David Harris

1122 Ms Melanie Dickmann

1123 Ms Margaret Gissing

1124 Ewan Gemmell

1125 Ms Katie Loffler

1126 Ms Kate Lone

1127 Mr John Elfes

1128 Ms Bronwyn Cox

1129 Ms Kate Carbines

1130 Ms Jane Martin

Page 89: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

81

1131 Ms Trisha Brisley

1132 Nargis Abram

1133 Ms Joanne Esposito

1134 Ms Anne Woodward

1135 Ms Kerrie Wheeler

1136 Mr Giles Patterson

1137 Ms Karen Fazzari

1138 Ms Nancy Carey-Berryman

1139 Ms Melanie Edmonds

1140 Ms Carole Durnan-Silva

1141 Mackay Daniel

1142 Mr Wayne Pearson

1143 Mr Thanduxolo Gogwana

1144 Mr John Sowerby

1145 Ms Jackie Cheal

1146 Mr Greg O'Reilly

1147 Ms Lea MacDonald

1148 Ms Kim Baker

1149 Ms Jill Telfer

1150 Ms Janine Woods

1151 Ms Susan Payne

1152 Ms Jeni McRae

1153 Mr Aaron Ryan

1154 Ms Geraldine Callaghan

1155 Ms Vicki Duff

1156 Mr Doug Reckord

1157 Ms Hilda Saumatua

Page 90: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

82

1158 Ms Lyn Ingram

1159 Mr Luke Simmonds

1160 Mr David Minutello

1161 Ms Barbara Page

1162 Mr Rowan Payne

1163 Mr Mark Powell

1164 Eli Candani

1165 Ms Louise Christie

1166 Ms Ann Shoobridge

1167 Ms Maree Backhouse

1168 Ms Kara Altschwager

1169 Ms Linda Dow

1170 Namuna Dharel

1171 Ms Deborah Delany

1172 Ms Tracey Fuller

1173 Ms Wendy Noble

1174 Ms Judy Nikola

1175 Ms Eileen Hetherington

1176 Ms Gail Latham

1177 Ms Elizabeth Algie

1178 Genesis Gurierrez

1179 Ms Elizabeth Eglington

1180 Ms Lisa-Jane Shilling

1181 Mr Russell Cook

1182 Mr Patrick Steel

1183 Mr Stephen Pennells

1184 Ms Liz Schroeder

Page 91: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

83

1185 Mr Graeme Stoner

1186 Ms Jan Gerhardt

1187 Mr David Wadling

1188 Ms Leonie Dean

1189 Mr Brenden Hatton

1190 Mr Brad Tito

1191 Mr Ryan Terry

1192 Vilma FitzGerald

1193 Mr Shaun Furber

1194 Ms Helen Sheehan

1195 Ms Maree Klafas

1196 Mr Bernhard Racz

1197 Ms Pavla Munclinger

1198 Ms Maree Purvis

1199 Ms Deborah Grover

1200 Ms Diane Green

1201 Alex Holewa

1202 Ms Jeanette Creedon

1203 Ms Justine Lau

1204 Mr Brendan Frost

1205 Mr Nick Whiting

1206 Ms Isobel Brown

1207 Mr Raymond Pastoors

1208 Mr Stephen Kernohan

1209 Ms Kathrine Grover

1210 Ms Liz Henigan

1211 Mr Jason Smith

Page 92: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

84

1212 Valdis Berzins

1213 Pfitzner Jocelyn

Additional information received

1 Document tabled by Shop, Distributive and Allied Employee's Union on 7

December, 2012.

2 Documents tabled by Shop, Distributive and Allied Employee's Union on 7

December, 2012

3 Additional information provided by Department of Education, Employment

and Workplace Relations on 11 February, 2013.

Responses to questions taken on notice

1 Response to questions on notice from Shop, Distributive and Allied

Employees' Association received 21 December, 2012.

2 Response to questions on notice from the Department of Education,

Employment and Workplace Relations received 11 January, 2013.

3 Response to questions on notice from Australian Chamber of Commerce and

Industry received 14 January, 2013.

4 Response to questions on notice from Australian Council of Trade Unions

received 14 January, 2013.

5 Response to questions on notice from Restaurant and Catering received 16

January, 2013.

Page 93: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation

APPENDIX 2

Witnesses who appeared before the committee

Melbourne, Friday, 7 December 2012.

ANGRELLI, Ms Marie, Member, United Voice

BREEN, Mr Adrian, Senior Executive Lawyer, Department of Education,

Employment and Workplace Relations

BURNLEY, Ms Sue-Anne, National Industrial Officer; Shop, Distributive and Allied

Employees' Association

CLANCY, Mr William Richard, Executive Director, Industry Policy and Workplace

Relations, Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry

DE MARTINO, Ms Daniela, National Industrial Officer; Shop, Distributive and

Allied Employees' Association

HART, Mr John, Chief Executive Officer, Restaurant and Catering Australia

LYONS, Mr Tim, Assistant Secretary, Australian Council of Trade Unions

MAMMONE, Mr Daniel, Director of Workplace Policy and Director of Legal Affairs,

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

MOREHEAD, Dr Alison, Group Manager, Workplace Relations Policy, Department

of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

MOREY, Mr Mark, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Unions New South Wales

PARKES, Mr Greg, Workplace Relations Director, Restaurant and Catering Australia

STRONG, Mr Peter, Executive Director, Council of Small Business Organisations of

Australia

TARRANT, Ms Louise, National Secretary, United Voice

WEBER, Miss Lucinda, Industrial Officer, Australian Council of Trade Unions