FEDERAL Small Business Minister Peter Reith has pledged to keep fighting to have small businesses exempted from unfair dismissal legislation.
Mr Reith told a Chamber of Commerce and Industry breakfast that despite many knockbacks in the Senate, he would continue to push the exemption Bill.
“Unfair dismissal legislation is weighted against small business,” Mr Reith said.
“We have two Bills up – one to change some of the aspects of the system and one to exempt small businesses from it altogether.
“I don’t care how long it takes.”
The benefits to small business from such an exemption will not be clear until any legislation is passed.
If the legislation is applied solely to Federal Awards, it will have little effect in WA. Most WA small businesses are covered by State Awards.
If the law is applied more generally, it could over-ride WA’s unfair dismissal laws.
Combined Small Business Associations of WA president Oliver Moon said he welcomed Mr Reith’s words, but was not optimistic about the bill being passed.
“It would require a radical change in the seating arrangements in the Senate for this to get through,” Mr Moon said.
