Article by Dylan Caporn courtesy of the West Australian.
A parliamentary inquiry examining the Federal Government’s industrial relations reforms will hold a public hearing in Perth after Labor caved to pressure from business groups and the Opposition.
Committee deputy chairman, WA Senator Matt O’Sullivan, said the Opposition was “disappointed” the inquiry was only spending one day in Perth.
“The Coalition wanted the committee to spend at least three days in WA and get to the Pilbara and the Great Southern to hear from businesses and workers most affected by this Bill,” he said. The announcement comes after calls from business groups such as the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA for the need to hear from local voices.
CCIWA chief executive Chris Rodwell, who wrote to committee chairman, NSW Senator Tony Sheldon, urging the committee to hear directly from businesses that would be affected, welcomed the move.
“There’s no doubt WA will be the hardest hit by these ill-conceived reforms, which impact disproportionately on the mining sector,” Mr Rodwell said.
Hancock Prospecting operations chief executive Gerhard Veldsman said the changes would be a retrograde step in conditions for their employees and the companies the sector supported.
“These IR changes will hurt people, it will hurt regional communities and small businesses at a time when they need greater job security,” he said.