Business welcomes Senate Committee inquiry report into Ensuring Integrity Bill

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is urging the Parliament to accept today’s Senate Committee recommendation to pass the Ensuring Integrity Bill when it is debated in the Upper House next month.

ACCI’s Deputy Director of workplace relations Tamsin Lawrence said the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee Report into the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Ensuring Integrity) Bill is a sensible response to the extensive submissions received.

“Organisations and officials play an important role and they are trusted by thousands of workers and businesses around the country to do the right thing,” Ms Lawrence said.

“As the Report into the Bill highlights, it is vitally important that ‘decisive action’ be taken to send a strong signal to organisations and their officials who repeatedly flout the law, misappropriate funds and put their own interests before members.

“We welcome the additional comments by Senator Rex Patrick, who has emphasised the ‘incorrigible’ conduct by some unions and their members which ‘can in no way be considered acceptable’.

“The suggestion, in particular, to amend the Bill to mandate consideration of the gravity of the offences by the court has merit and we look forward to sharing feedback from employers on the prospect.”

Ms Lawrence said the release of the Australian Building and Construction Commission’s (ABCC) Annual Report this week also confirmed the changes are urgently needed.

“With the ABCC’s workload this year more than doubling in Queensland and NSW, it is more important than ever that Parliament act to deal with persistent, entrenched, and unacceptable conduct by some organisations and their officials who far too often express public pride in breaking the law and encourage others to do the same.

“If we are to stop the toxic march of poor conduct and militant behavior spreading any further, urgent action must be taken to pass the Ensuring Integrity Bill.”