Calls for Qld to scrap 'ideologically driven' changes to industrial relation laws

Proposed changes to Queensland's industrial relations laws 'ideologically driven', law firm says The Queensland government's proposed shake-up to industrial relations laws is an "ideologically driven" attempt to rehash the Campbell Newman era and should be abandoned, a law firm says. Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie has introduced sweeping changes that he says "essentially mimicked" the federal Fair Work legislation introduced by Julia Gillard's government in 2009. However, law firm Maurice Blackburn has taken issue with this comparison in its submission to the committee examining the legislation. "Instead, they represent a cherry-picking of the restrictive provisions of federal law, while omitting the protective ones and going beyond our federal laws in key respects," its submission said. "Taken as a whole, the Bill represents the most significant attack on worker rights and entitlements since the Newman era." Maurice Blackburn has suggested the legislation be "abandoned" and that if this was not the committee's view, the would need to be "significant reconsideration" of the changes proposed. The legislation is in response to an independent review into industrial relations and the workers' compensation scheme, with the government accepting 104 of its recommendations. The wide-ranging changes include a "fit and proper" test for union officials, allowing workers to be represented by non-recognised union groups and allowing a ballot on a proposal after agreement from one union. Mr Bleijie said he believed the proposed changes were reasonable, balanced and ensured workers were protected. Under the legislation, Mr Bleijie would have the power to terminate protected industrial action in certain circumstances. The Queensland Council of Unions has spoken out against the proposed legislation since it was first mentioned in parliament last month, raising concerns it would restrict the ability for workers to exercise their rights and give the minister of the day "extraordinary power". Mr Bleijie said the minister's power to stop strikes would only be used in "very limited circumstances" when the safety or economy was at risk or such action was highly disruptive. The legislation also strengthens the test for claiming a psychological injury, requiring work to be the major contributing factor rather than a significant factor, after a substantial rise in claims in recent years. This move has been welcomed by Business Chamber Queensland however it noted this must not "create unnecessary barriers" for those with a genuine injury. The Queensland Law Society submitted the absence of a definition of "the major contributing factor" in the bill would cause "unnecessary complexity" when assessing a claim and lead to more disputes between workers and insurers. Public hearings will be held in Brisbane next week before the committee delivers its report on November 27.