Summary

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The majority voted in favour of amendments introduced by ACT Senator David Pocock (Independent), which means they will now be included in the bill.

What were the amendments?

Senator Pocock explained that:

The amendments on Sheet 1780 ensure that there will be a statutory review no later than two years after the commencement of the legislation. The review will look at, among other things, whether the operation of the amendments made by this act is appropriate and effective and identify any unintended consequences of the amendment made by this act and whether amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009 or any other legislation are necessary to improve the operation of the amendments made by this act or rectify any unintended consequences identified. The persons who conduct the review must give the minister a written report of the review within six months of the commencement of the review, and the minister must then table a copy of the report within 15 sitting days. The amendment on sheet 1781 effectively extends the grace period from six months to nine months by altering the minimum bargaining period. This was something that came up repeatedly in the committee process.

Amendment text

SHEET 1780

(1) Clause 2, page 2 (table item 1, column 1), omit "3", substitute "4".

(2) Page 6 (after line 8), after clause 3, insert:

4 Review of operation of amendments

(1) The Minister must cause a review to be conducted of the operation of the amendments made by this Act.

(2) Without limiting the matters that may be considered when conducting the review, the review must:

(a) consider whether the operation of the amendments made by this Act is appropriate and effective; and

(b) identify any unintended consequences of the amendments made by this Act; and

(c) consider whether amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009,or any other legislation, are necessary to:

(i) improve the operation of the amendments made by this Act; or

(ii) rectify any unintended consequences identified under paragraph (b).

(3) The review must start no later than 2 years after this section commences.

(4) The persons who conduct the review must give the Minister a written report of the review within 6 months of the commencement of the review.

(5) The Minister must cause a copy of the report of the review to be tabled in each House of the Parliament within 15 sitting days of that House after the Minister receives the report.

SHEET 1781

(1) Schedule 1, item 543, page 183 (line 20) to page 184 (line 3), omit subsection 235(5), substitute:*

End of the minimum bargaining period

(5) The end of the minimum bargaining period in relation to a proposed enterprise agreement is:

(a) if one or more enterprise agreements (the existing agreements) apply to any of the employees that will be covered by the proposed agreement—the later of the following:

(i) the day that is 9 months after the nominal expiry date for that existing agreement, or the latest nominal expiry date for those existing agreements;

(ii) the day that is 9 months after the day bargaining starts, as worked out under subsection (6); or

(b) the day that is 9 months after the day bargaining starts, as worked out under subsection (6).

(6) For the purposes of subparagraph (5)(a)(ii) and paragraph (5)(b), the day bargaining starts for a proposed agreement is:

(a) if a supported bargaining authorisation or single interest employer authorisation is in operation in relation to the proposed agreement—the day that the authorisation first comes into operation; or

(b) otherwise—the notification time for the proposed agreement.

Votes Passed by a small majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Australian Greens (100% turnout) 12 Yes 0 No
Penny Allman-Payne Queensland Yes
Dorinda Cox WA Yes
Mehreen Faruqi NSW Yes
Sarah Hanson-Young SA Yes
Nick McKim Tasmania Yes
Barbara Pocock SA Yes
Janet Rice Victoria Yes
David Shoebridge NSW Yes
Jordon Steele-John WA Yes
Lidia Thorpe Victoria Yes
Larissa Waters Queensland Yes
Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania Yes
Australian Labor Party (84% turnout) 21 Yes 0 No
Tim Ayres NSW Yes
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania Yes
Carol Brown Tasmania Yes
Anthony Chisholm Queensland Yes
Raff Ciccone Victoria Yes
Patrick Dodson WA Yes
Don Farrell SA Yes
Katy Gallagher ACT Yes
Nita Green Queensland Yes
Karen Grogan SA Yes
Jenny McAllister NSW Yes
Malarndirri McCarthy NT Yes
Deborah O'Neill NSW Yes
Fatima Payman WA Yes
Helen Polley Tasmania Yes
Louise Pratt WA Yes
Tony Sheldon NSW Yes
Glenn Sterle WA Yes
Anne Urquhart Tasmania Yes
Jess Walsh Victoria Yes
Linda White Victoria Yes
Marielle Smith SA Absent
Jana Stewart Victoria Absent
Murray Watt Queensland Absent
Penny Wong SA Absent
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price NT Country Liberal Party No
Andrew McLachlan SA Deputy President No
David Pocock ACT Independent Yes
Jacqui Lambie Network (0% turnout) Absent
Jacqui Lambie Tasmania Absent
Tammy Tyrrell Tasmania Absent
Liberal National Party (100% turnout) 0 Yes 2 No
Matthew Canavan Queensland No
James McGrath Queensland No
Liberal Party (88% turnout) 0 Yes 21 No
Alex Antic SA No
Wendy Askew Tasmania No
Andrew Bragg NSW No
Slade Brockman WA No
Michaelia Cash WA No
Claire Chandler Tasmania No
Richard Colbeck Tasmania No
Jonathon Duniam Tasmania No
David Fawcett SA No
Sarah Henderson Victoria No
Jane Hume Victoria No
Kerrynne Liddle SA No
Matt O'Sullivan WA No
James Paterson Victoria No
Marise Payne NSW No
Gerard Rennick Queensland No
Linda Reynolds WA No
Anne Ruston SA No
Paul Scarr Queensland No
Dean Smith WA No
David Van Victoria No
Simon Birmingham SA Absent
Hollie Hughes NSW Absent
Jim Molan NSW Absent
National Party (100% turnout) 0 Yes 4 No
Ross Cadell NSW No
Perin Davey NSW No
Susan McDonald Queensland No
Bridget McKenzie Victoria No
Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party (0% turnout) Absent
Pauline Hanson Queensland Absent
Malcolm Roberts Queensland Absent
Sue Lines WA President Yes
Ralph Babet Victoria United Australia Party No
Totals (86% turnout) 35 Yes – 30 No