The Senate this afternoon passed the Closing Loopholes No 2 legislation after accepting amendments advanced by the Albanese Government, the Greens and crossbench senators David Pocock, Jacqui Lambie and Lidia Thorpe.
The Albanese Government has put forward a bundle of its own amendments to the Closing Loopholes legislation, including a requirement that collective agreements covering regulated employee-like gig economy workers and road transport workers meet a public interest test.
The Greens says they have secured support from the Albanese Government and Senate crossbenchers for a legislated right for workers to disconnect from "unreasonable" out-of-hours contact from their employers.
Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke says that talks about introducing a right to disconnect have shifted away from fines for offending employers and towards an "absolute ban" on them penalising workers who disengage outside working hours.
A Senate inquiry report tabled this afternoon says the legislation to raise paid parental leave to 26 weeks by 2026 should pass unamended, but the Greens want to see more progress toward a 52-week entitlement, while the Coalition is seeking an opt-out for small businesses from passing on parental leave payments.
The ACTU is urging a Senate inquiry, ahead of it reporting today, to reject an ACCI proposal to exempt small businesses from directly making parental payments, ceding responsibility to Services Australia.
IR Minister Tony Burke says the Albanese Government is "not there yet" in talks with key crossbenchers ahead of this week's Senate debate on its Closing Loopholes No 2 legislation, while consultations on including a "right to disconnect" are tackling the role of fines.
IR Minister Tony Burke is consulting with the Greens and key crossbench senators on including a "right to disconnect" in the Closing Loopholes No 2 legislation once Federal Parliament resumes next week.
Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke intends to amend the Closing Loopholes No 2 legislation so that "employee-like" workers in the gig economy and in road transport cannot "double-dip" in the federal and state IR systems.
While major changes to the NSW IR Act that usher in mutual gains bargaining and scrap the State Government's power to cap wages are now in effect, parts of the legislation that re-establish the Industrial Court are yet to be proclaimed.