THE reintroduction of the Fair Work (Ensuring Integrity No. 2) Bill 2019 is a welcome development and a sign to over 380,000 small building and construction businesses that the Parliament has not abandoned them, according to Master Builders Australia. 

CEO Denita Wawn said that while the Bill’s failure to pass last week was a huge blow to industry confidence, its reintroduction provides some hope that an end to bullying and thuggery deployed by building unions remains in sight. 

“Everyone knows there is a problem in building and construction with bullying - and every Senator who spoke on the previous Bill acknowledged there were some unions and some officials who constantly and deliberately do the wrong thing,” Ms Wawn said. 

“The problem is that most of these bad apples are in our industry and we have to wear the consequences of their bullying. This isn't a union busting Bill as many make out and there are lots of good unions out there – we just want the unions in our industry to be like those in every other industry. 

“We are deeply concerned that some organisations and officials would have taken last week’s Senate outcome as a green light to continue bullying, intimidation and thuggery, and called for the Parliament to make the Bill its first priority for 2020,” she said. 

“The historical data shows that building unions will likely rack up around $450,000 in court fines and penalties between now and the resumption of sittings in 2020, with the cost to industry being many times higher than that,” Ms Wawn said. 

“That’s almost half a million dollars of union members money which could be avoided if only building unions played by the rules like most other organisations seem able to do.

“You don’t need to break workplace laws to represent your members,” Ms Wawn said.

www.masterbuilders.com.au

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THE Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell says small supermarkets should be able to engage in collective bargaining to remain competitive and viable.

The Ombudsman has written to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in support of a proposal by Co-Operative Supermarkets Australia, to participate in collective bargaining to help small businesses compete with the major supermarkets.

“Australia’s supermarket industry is in the midst of a long-running price war and that’s hurting small businesses,” Ms Carnell said.

“It’s nearly impossible for smaller players, with limited market share and purchasing power, to compete.

“The industry is dominated by Woolworths Group (34%), Coles Group (27%) and Aldi (11%) collectively owning more than 70 percent of the market share.

“While other multinationals such as Costco, Kaufland and Amazon may dilute market concentration, Coles and Woolworths will likely continue to drop prices to remain competitive.

“My office has been assisting a number of small businesses that have been subjected to predatory tactics used by large supermarket operators to financially squeeze their small suppliers.

“Collective bargaining is a game-changer for small supermarkets and businesses in the grocery supply chain because it strengthens their purchasing power.

“It would also contribute significantly to supply chain diversification, allowing small and medium manufacturers and growers to explore new markets while also promoting their sustainability and growth in domestic production, particularly in regional Australia.    

“This initiative will help keep local shopping centres viable. If the supermarket closes, the whole shopping centre is likely to go as well.”

www.asbfeo.gov.au

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THE Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee is marking 30 years of operation with the presentation if its Annual report of Committee activities for 2018-2019.

Committee chair Andrew Hastie said the importance of the committee has increased over the years, and that this is set to continue in future.

"The committee provides a collaborative, classified space for Members from both sides of politics to come together to examine draft national security legislation in a detailed manner," Mr Hastie said.

"Our oversight of the national intelligence community ensures that intelligence agencies remain accountable to the Australian Parliament and through the parliament, to the Australian public.

"Committee work is an important part of the Westminster tradition, and so the Committee regards its independence and oversight as essential to good democratic governance."

The report reflects on the evolution of the committee, the achievement of major milestones and looks forward to possible future developments.

The committee’s role and place within the national security architecture has changed considerably since the first Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation was appointed in 1988 to provide some oversight of ASIO.

Over the years, the committee’s oversight responsibilities have matured to encompass most of the national intelligence community, including the completion of annual reviews of the administration and expenditure of intelligence agencies.

The committee has also developed substantial responsibilities in refining national security legislation to build bipartisan consensus in Australia’s national interest.

Further information on the inquiry can be obtained from the Committee’s website.

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LEADING advocates for financial industry reform, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers has welcomed ASIC’s announcement it will heed the recommendation of the Hayne Royal Commission to ban cold call telephone sales of life insurance and consumer credit insurance.

Maurice Blackburn principal, Josh Mennen said the Royal Commission revealed many people have been taken advantage of by unsolicited telephone calls from financial companies pushing unsuitable products.

“This is an important step by ASIC in faithfully implementing Commissioner Hayne’s recommendations and will help protect the vulnerable members of our community from unscrupulous product spruiking by banks and insurers eager to sell their own in-house products.

“However, the hawking prohibitions apply only to unsolicited telephone calls and meetings, and do not apply to other unsolicited communications,” Mr Mennen said.

“More work needs to be done to address digital-era communications, such as email spamming, brochures or digitally-targeted media advertisements.

“There is also a need for more robust requirements on financial institutions to report to customers and the regulator as to how they obtain and use personal information,” Mr Mennen said.

“Over the years, Maurice Blackburn has seen how banks and large wealth managers have systematically targeted existing customers through unsolicited approaches in an effort to cross-sell their insurance and other financial services.  

“As shown by the Royal Commission, this has too often resulted in consumers, including many of our clients, taking out inappropriate or unnecessary cover at significant personal cost,” Mr Mennen said.

“Ridding the industry of this type of underhanded practice will be a key step in stopping the exploitation of people’s understandable desire to protect their financial future.”

The ASIC ban on unsolicited insurance telephone sales will take effect from mid-January next year.

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