Federal IR system delayed by states

The Rudd Government's plans for a national industrial relations system will be delayed until at least the middle of next year, after a refusal by Labor states to reach any deal until they see the shape of federal laws.

The Labor states, led by NSWand Queensland, have baulked at signing an agreementwith Workplace Relations Minister Julia Gillard to hand over their remaining powers covering employment laws until after her legislation passes federal parliament.

The states have been wrangling for months with Canberra over Ms Gillard's request that they agree to a uniform national IR system for the private sector.

The latest negotiations happened on Friday in Sydney, when Queensland Industrial Relations Minister John Mickel made it clear he wanted a further meeting as close as possible to the expected release of Ms Gillard's proposed workplace legislation in late October.

The main sticking points for NSW and Queensland are the Rudd Government's apparent reluctance to allow strong state IR systems to remain in place with the provision for businesses to opt out of the federal regime.

There is also disagreement over the standard that is to be set for minimum working conditions and what, if any, triggers might be in place for arbitrated settlements of industrial disputes under federal Labor.

The main reason for a delay until next year, however, is that the states are unsure that the Forward with Fairness legislation that Ms Gillard proposes to introduce in federal parliament by the end of this year will be the same legislation that is passed.

A spokesman for the Iemma Government confirmed that NSW had decided to adopt the same position as Queensland because it could not know what Ms Gillard's legislation would look like until after possible amendments by independent senators Nick Xenophon and Steve Fielding.

Under the timetable being proposed by federal Labor, the legislation that the Rudd Government intends will replace John Howard's Work Choices is to be shown to departmental officials some time in October.

It will then be introduced into federal parliament by the end of the year, when it will be referred to a Senate committee. When federal parliament resumes next year, the two senators who hold the balance of power are expected to enter negotiations with Ms Gillard that could alter the shape of the bill.

A Queensland government official, Andrew Dungan, told his state's Industrial Relations Society meeting on Friday that Queensland would not make a decision until the middle of nextyear.

Friday's negotiations with Ms Gillard made little advance with the absence of the West Australian, Victorian and Northern Territory ministers, and acting minister Eric Roozedaal standing in for NSW minister John Della Bosca.

The Howard government's Work Choices laws in 2006 took over state IR powers related to incorporated businesses.

The Rudd Government proposes that the states should hand over their remaining control, or at least pass uniform laws, so thata national system can operate for unincorporated businesses as well.

Source: Brad Norington, The Australian