Portfolio Media

Julia Gillard rubs the noses of small business in the mess of awards modernisation

31 August 2009

Julia Gillard’s bungled awards modernisation was already a disaster for small businesses. But now Deputy Prime Minister Gillard is simply rubbing their noses in it, says Shadow Small Business Minister Steven Ciobo.

News of yet more possible exemptions by Deputy Prime Minister Gillard to her awards modernisation regime is fast turning her ideological crusade into a farce, with small business bearing the brunt of it.

“This is becoming an impenetrable mess,” Mr Ciobo said. “First Minister Gillard conceded the stupidity of awards modernisation for the nation’s restaurants, then last week she recognised the flawed system would also cripple the horticulture sector. Now she has reportedly written to Australian Industrial Relations Commission asking for yet more changes to her proposed awards in retail, pharmacy and call centres.”

“Each week Deputy Prime Minister Gillard seems to be piling layer upon layer of changes onto her awards modernisation juggernaut, turning it into a dreadful, confused mess. Wasn’t her awards modernisation supposed to simplify the whole awards system"”

“When she conceded last week to reconsidering the deal for the horticulture sector, I compared her to the little boy with her finger in the dyke. Now she’s looking more like King Canute, trying to turn back the sea.”

“These changes might well have been welcomed by the big end of town, but clearly not by small business which is less financially and logistically equipped to deal with such huge changes."

“Whichever way Minister Gillard spins this, she cannot defend her assertion her awards modernisation will disadvantage neither employers nor employees. If you increase business costs, there will be a fallout - that fallout will come in the form of thousands and thousands of jobs in small businesses across the country.”