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representatives vote 2023-05-11#3
Edited by
mackay staff
on
2023-08-11 07:10:32
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Title
Jobs and Skills Australia Amendment Bill 2023 - Consideration in Detail- Jobs and Skills Australia Amendment Bill 2023 - Consideration in Detail - Composition of advisory board
Description
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- The majority voted in favour of *disagreeing* with [amendments](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/debate/?id=2023-05-11.129.2) introduced by Farrer MP [Sussan Ley](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/representatives/farrer/sussan_ley) (Liberal), which means they failed.
- ### What do these amendments do?
- Ms Farrer [explained that](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/debate/?id=2023-05-11.129.2):
- > *These amendments are designed to alter the composition of the ministerial advisory board outlined in the bill. The coalition does not think it is appropriate to mandate that four positions are dedicated to employee organisations—or, in other words, to the unions. The bill as it stands will ensure that these members are appointed over others we consider more important in this specific context.*
- >
- > *Under the arrangements we propose through these amendments, the government would still be able to appoint officials from unions as general members of the board, but no future minister or government would be mandated to do so. In their stead, we believe it is more appropriate that one member represents small business and another two represent regional, rural and remote Australia.*
- ### Amendment text
- > *(1) Schedule 1, item 31, page 9 (line 28), omit paragraph 16B(1)(c).*
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- > *(2) Schedule 1, item 31, page 9 (after line 29), after paragraph 16B(1)(d), insert:*
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- >> *(da) 1 member representing small business;*
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- >> *(db) 2 members representing regional, rural and remote Australia;*
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- > *(3) Schedule 1, item 31, page 9 (after line 32), after subsection 16B(2), insert:*
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>> *(2A) In appointing the members of the Ministerial Advisory Board, the Minister must ensure that the members include a representative from each State, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.*- >> *(2A) In appointing the members of the Ministerial Advisory Board, the Minister must ensure that the members include a representative from each State, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.*
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representatives vote 2023-05-11#3
Edited by
mackay staff
on
2023-08-11 07:10:14
|
Title
Bills — Jobs and Skills Australia Amendment Bill 2023; Consideration in Detail- Jobs and Skills Australia Amendment Bill 2023 - Consideration in Detail
Description
<p class="speaker">Sussan Ley</p><p>by leave—I move opposition amendments (1) to (3), as circulated in my name, together:</p>-
- The majority voted in favour of *disagreeing* with [amendments](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/debate/?id=2023-05-11.129.2) introduced by Farrer MP [Sussan Ley](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/representatives/farrer/sussan_ley) (Liberal), which means they failed.
- ### What do these amendments do?
- Ms Farrer [explained that](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/debate/?id=2023-05-11.129.2):
- > *These amendments are designed to alter the composition of the ministerial advisory board outlined in the bill. The coalition does not think it is appropriate to mandate that four positions are dedicated to employee organisations—or, in other words, to the unions. The bill as it stands will ensure that these members are appointed over others we consider more important in this specific context.*
- >
- > *Under the arrangements we propose through these amendments, the government would still be able to appoint officials from unions as general members of the board, but no future minister or government would be mandated to do so. In their stead, we believe it is more appropriate that one member represents small business and another two represent regional, rural and remote Australia.*
- ### Amendment text
- > *(1) Schedule 1, item 31, page 9 (line 28), omit paragraph 16B(1)(c).*
- >
- > *(2) Schedule 1, item 31, page 9 (after line 29), after paragraph 16B(1)(d), insert:*
- >
- >> *(da) 1 member representing small business;*
- >>
- >> *(db) 2 members representing regional, rural and remote Australia;*
- >
- > *(3) Schedule 1, item 31, page 9 (after line 32), after subsection 16B(2), insert:*
- >
- >> *(2A) In appointing the members of the Ministerial Advisory Board, the Minister must ensure that the members include a representative from each State, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.*
<p class="italic">(1) Schedule 1, item 31, page 9 (line 28), omit paragraph 16B(1)(c).</p><p class="italic">(2) Schedule 1, item 31, page 9 (after line 29), after paragraph 16B(1)(d), insert:</p><p class="italic">(da) 1 member representing small business;</p><p class="italic">(db) 2 members representing regional, rural and remote Australia;</p><p class="italic">(3) Schedule 1, item 31, page 9 (after line 32), after subsection 16B(2), insert:</p><p class="italic">(2A) In appointing the members of the Ministerial Advisory Board, the Minister must ensure that the members include a representative from each State, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.</p><p>These amendments are designed to alter the composition of the ministerial advisory board outlined in the bill. The coalition does not think it is appropriate to mandate that four positions are dedicated to employee organisations—or, in other words, to the unions. The bill as it stands will ensure that these members are appointed over others we consider more important in this specific context.</p><p>Under the arrangements we propose through these amendments, the government would still be able to appoint officials from unions as general members of the board, but no future minister or government would be mandated to do so. In their stead, we believe it is more appropriate that one member represents small business and another two represent regional, rural and remote Australia. Small businesses and our regions are on the front line of skills and labour force shortages. They are doing it really tough right now. The important voices of small business and the regions should be able to provide direct advice to the commissioner of Jobs and Skills Australia and the minister. Our amendments would allow them to do just that.</p><p>Furthermore, our amendments legislate that each state and territory must be represented within the composition of the mandated board members. We believe ensuring a geographical spread within the discussed mandated appointments is desirable. Skills and labour force shortages are unique in each region of our country, and we believe they should be able to bring those differing perspectives to the forefront of the commissioner's and the minister's considerations.</p><p>I call on the crossbench to support our amendments to the government's amendment. We are not precluding union representation on the board altogether but, rather, removing the mandate for it. I also believe our amendments make the board more balanced and will allow Jobs and Skills Australia to consider the advice of those disproportionately impacted by skills and labour force technology.</p> <p class="speaker">Brendan O'Connor</p><p>The government opposes the amendments. The government's intention is to establish a body to provide advice to government and industry on skills and the labour market, and therefore it's important to have employer and employee representatives—unions and employers working together to deal with really significant challenges within this country. For the opposition to suggest that we should remove the worker voice entirely from this body speaks very much to the enmity they have towards organised labour and the rights of working people to be represented in this country.</p><p>Now, we made it clear before the election that we would have a tripartite body established, and, as a result of that, we are enacting legislation. The governance arrangements are such that the ministerial advisory board is going to have equal representation of workers and employers on that body—along with others. For that reason, we cannot support these. I also note that, despite the efforts of the opposition to have others come out and support these amendments, no employer body or, for that matter, other stakeholders have publicly supported the opposition with respect to these amendments, and that's because they are completely out of step with how training and skills are engaged with, in industry. Whatever differences employers and unions might have from to time, they work on things together, whether it's superannuation or training and skills. We need to bring people together. The Jobs and Skills Summit was about convening constituent parts of our society and our economy to work together to deal with the structural challenges the country faces. This legislation is in keeping with that approach, and that's why it's impossible for us to support both the amendments and the reasoning behind the amendments, because they are contrary to the commitments we made to the Australian people before the election and they completely undermine the workers' voice on this important body.</p><p>I hear the Deputy Leader of the Opposition suggest that there's still a capacity to appoint members, but this is a tripartite body with equal representation from employers and from workers, and we will not accede to these amendments.</p> <p class="speaker">Milton Dick</p><p>The question is that the amendments moved by the honourable Deputy Leader of the Opposition be disagreed to.</p><p></p> -
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