Termination bill fails
A BILL that some expected would help pave the way for a single unitary industrial relations system has failed to pass through the Federal Senate.
The Workplace Relations Amendment (Termination of Employment) Bill 2002 was designed to significantly increase the number of employees covered by the Federal unfair dismissal jurisdiction by using the Federal Government’s corporations powers.
It failed to pass through the Senate after a number of amendments proposed by the Democrats were rejected.
If passed, the bill would have drawn those companies that are incorporated into the Federal unfair dismissal system.
This, in itself, would have posed problems for the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission because more than half of its work involves dealing with unfair dismissal applications.
Consumer and Employment Protection Minister John Kobelke told WA Business News in July that he felt the bill had been an abuse of the Federal Government’s corporation powers.