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Troy Buswell and the State Government have appointed a former Howard Government industrial relations advocate to review Western Australian workplace laws and will soon announce changes that could affect up to 300,000 Western Australian workers.

The last State Liberal Government introduced individual contracts and cut minimum standards for Western Australian workers and the Howard Government abolished the award safety net with its unfair WorkChoices laws.

Troy Buswell is on record as saying he supports individual contracts and Colin Barnett said he supported WorkChoices.

There is a real danger that Mr Buswell and Mr Barnett will implement WorkChoices style changes in Western Australia that will see minimum standards cut for up to 300,000 Western Australian workers.

There is also a very real danger that the introduction of WorkChoices style changes and the cutting of minimum standards for more than 120,000 public sector workers in Western Australia could make it harder to recruit people in the new Gorgon-led boom and could impact adversely on important public services, including health, education, policing, child protection, mine safety and environmental protection.
 

Recent Blog Entries

IR review cost blowout as government services starved of cash
Wednesday, 17 February 2010 12:44:33 PM
The cost of Treasurer Troy Buswell’s review of Western Australia’s industrial relations system blew out by more than $200,000 in just two days, according to information obtained under Freedom of Information laws. The review will affect the working conditions of more than 300,000 workers and recommend changes in areas including individual versus collective agreements, the award safety net, minimum wages, statutory minimum conditions of employment and unfair dismissal. In an answer given to the Parliament on 25 November last year, the Parliamentary Secretary representing Mr Buswell in the Legislative Council, Hon Helen Morton MLC, reported that the review had cost $600,346. However, in documents obtained by UnionsWA under Freedom of Information laws, it has been revealed that, as at 27 November, invoices from Mr Amendola alone totalled $849,817.
Barnett Government declares war on public sector workers and services
Tuesday, 15 December 2009 3:55:05 PM
The report of the Economic Audit Committee released by Premier Colin Barnett and Treasurer Troy Buswell today confirms that the State Government has declared war on its own employees and the vital services they provide to the community. The radical report has recommended that the State Government cease to provide essential public services, such as health, education, community safety and child protection and instead be a facilitator of private sector service provision. The report also recommends giving the State Government the power to involuntarily terminate the employment of public sector workers and recommends an overhaul of minimum standards and the award safety net. UnionsWA Secretary Simone McGurk said the Barnett Government had finally shown its true colours.
Buswell must come clean on planned industrial relations changes
Wednesday, 9 December 2009 3:18:17 PM
UnionsWA today demanded that Treasurer Troy Buswell release the recommendations of his $635,000 review into Western Australia’s industrial relations laws, so that 300,000 workers could have certainty before Christmas. The State Government has been conducting a review of Western Australia’s workplace laws this year, with Mr Buswell appointing a former Howard Government industrial relations advocate to recommend areas for legislative reform in areas including individual versus collective agreements, the award safety net, minimum wages, statutory minimum conditions of employment and unfair dismissal. It was revealed in State Parliament that Mr Buswell was in receipt of Mr Amendola’s report and recommendations. UnionsWA Secretary Simone McGurk said WA workers had a right to know the plans Mr Buswell had for their workplaces and work conditions and demanded the Treasurer release the report and recommendations immediately.