The Abbott Government this morning introduced a Bill in the House of Representatives to cap redundancy payments under the Fair Entitlements Guarantee scheme at a maximum of 16 weeks, describing the current benefits for employees of insolvent companies as "overly generous" and as creating a "moral hazard".
The Law Council has come out against the Coalition's proposed creation of an independent appeal jurisdiction for the Fair Work Commission, saying the current mechanisms "do not need to be altered".
Employment Minister Eric Abetz has moved quickly to douse suggestions from a junior minister that the federal government is looking to reform penalty rates, issuing a short statement this afternoon that any claims that it is planning to alter the way they are determined are "false".
The Department of Employment has referred to the corporate watchdog allegations that a textile company entered into “contrived arrangements” to avoid paying redundancy entitlements to 60 workers.
Former HSU leader Marco Bolano has told the Heydon Royal Commission this morning that he was "surprised" to discover that tobacco giant Philip Morris had contributed funds to his 2009 election campaign and "stunned" that political "enemy" Bill Shorten had done likewise.
A Federal Court full bench has this afternoon struck down FWC President Iain Ross's move to appoint himself to the expert panel conducting the review of default super funds in modern awards.
The Financial Services Council has demanded that Fair Work Commission President Iain Ross clarify two legal points before its challenge to the default superannuation review is heard by the Federal Court on Friday.
FWC President Iain Ross has this afternoon flatly rejected a suggestion that his involvement in superannuation funds "25 years ago" means he has a conflict of interest in sitting on the expert panel's review of default funds.
