AREEA has cautioned a Queensland Government inquiry into the practices of the labour hire industry against imposing additional regulation and costs that would negatively impact the majority of sectors and employers that operate lawfully.
Treasurer and then Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations, Curtis Pitt, announced the inquiry in December 2015 following allegations about the practices of labour hire companies. This included claims in the’s ABC Four Corners investigation of cucumber pickers being underpaid in Bundaberg.
“This inquiry is aimed at ensuring employers are complying with Queensland’s workplace laws and that workers aren’t unfairly exploited,” Mr Pitt said.
“Equally, employers shouldn’t have to face unfair competition because they are doing the right thing when others are not.”
In its submission this month, AREEA said that given the ongoing Victorian inquiry in labour hire practices acknowledged that it is a legitimate way of engaging workers, it would be concerning if the assumption underpinning the Queensland inquiry is that labour hire or independent contracting arrangements are a less desirable form of working and should be curtailed through new regulatory reform measures.
“Labour hire has been a longstanding part of the resource industry and is recognised as a legitimate mode of engaging skilled workers to manage and operate various resource sector projects and operations across Australia, including within Queensland,” AREEA’s submission states
“While there will no doubt be individual allegations of concern raised before this inquiry, it is i.mportant that the inquiry proceed upon the basis of a robust evidence base prior to formulating any possible policy recommendations which may impact sectors, such as the resource industry, more broadly.”
AREEA also recommended the inquiry consider how to better promote legitimate and lawful arrangements already in place that rely on non-standard forms of labour but which serve the needs of individual workers and businesses.
“AREEA is unaware of any data or allegations of unlawfulness within the resource sector which would suggest that new forms of regulation are warranted,” the submission states.
Click here to read AREEA’s submission to the inquiry into the practices of the labour hire industry in Queensland.
For more information or to discuss AREEA’s advocacy in this area, please contact AREEA director, government relations Daniel Mammone via [email protected].
