The government says it will not seek to change penalty rates
or the minimum wage, even if the Productivity Commission’s inquiry into workplace relations makes such
recommendations.
Employment Minister Eric Abetz told The Australian Financial Review that the government intends to retain the current system in which the
Fair Work Commission has the power to set awards and the minimum wage.
“We have a system that has worked relatively well over
many years now, and I don’t want to put the Parliament in the space of the Fair
Work Commission,” Abetz (pictured) said.
The first stage of the inquiry, a discussion paper looked at
awards and penalty rates and asked if they should be simplified, changed,
swapped for time-off-in-lieu or scrapped.
In addition, it asked about how effective the minimum wage
is, could it be different in different states, and could it be replaced with
changes to the tax system.
However, Abetz said he was surprised when the Productivity
Commission said it the review would look at the minimum wage and penalty rates.
“Ultimately, we have said that these decisions will be
up to the Fair Work Commission to determine as to what a minimum wage ought be,
as to what penalty rates ought be, as to what awards [ought to be],” Abetz
told the AFR.
“They are all matters for the Fair Work Commission. We
were looking more at the architecture of the Fair Work regime, as to whether it
was working.”
Abetz’s comments are likely to disappoint business groups
which have been increasing pressure to change the system.