Parliamentarians leading tributes to former Labor Senator Kimberley Kitching have recalled her pride in and lessons learned from her brief time in the scandal-plagued Health Services Union, with a Coalition minister acknowledging the period had "hardened" her for politics.
The religious discrimination bills now look unlikely to pass before the expected May election, after the Senate delayed debate until Parliament resumes next month.
Two high-profile advocates for survivors of sexual assault and abuse, Brittany Higgins and Grace Tame, have called for imposition of a positive duty on employers to prevent s-x discrimination, s-xual harassment and victimisation, ahead of the Government late this afternoon introducing legislation to implement two recommendations of the Jenkins report into parliamentary workplaces.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese today led apologies for the "unacceptable history" of workplace bullying, s-xual harassment and s-xual assault in Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces.
Tasmania's government and NGOs - including unions - have united in opposition to the proposed Religious Discrimination Bill because of provisions that override "gold standard" State anti-discrimination legislation that protects LGBTIQ+ employees in faith-based workplaces.
A senior Attorney-General's official has denied that the department failed to comply with its obligation to act with "honesty and integrity" when it asserted in the Religious Discrimination Bill's explanatory memorandum that the "statements of belief" provisions had no effect on other laws.
The Productivity Commission will begin consulting next month on its inquiry into the "long-term structural issues" affecting productivity on the waterfront, which requires it to consider "operational costs drivers, including industrial relations", according to Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.
NSW's Modern Slavery Act has won Royal Assent after three years in limbo, imposing reporting obligations on local councils, government agencies and statutory corporations and establishing an independent anti-slavery commissioner.
Federal Labor's 'Same Job, Same Pay' legislation introduced into Parliament yesterday has won the endorsement of IR legal expert Anthony Forsyth, who says it represents the "next necessary step" in addressing the undesirable effects of labour hire workers being engaged for lengthy periods on lower wages and conditions than direct employees.
Federal Opposition leader Anthony Albanese this morning confirmed his determination to make working conditions a major battleground in the upcoming Federal election with his introduction of a private member's bill aimed at erasing the gap between directly-employed and labour hire workers.
