The Joint Standing Committee on Treaties has recommended the Australian Government ratifies the Joint Initiative on Services Domestic Regulation (JI-SDR).

Committee Chair, Josh Wilson MP said, “The JI-SDR is a plurilateral agreement negotiated between 69 members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) that contains a range of rules that would potentially increase the transparency and predictability of the regulatory environment in Australia’s services export markets".

The JI-SDR establishes best practice requirements for the authorisation processes that enable service exports. Provisions in the JI-SDR relate to a range of areas including transparency in fees and procedures, efficient processing of applications, evaluation based on clear and objective criteria, reasonable access to examinations where required, and the acceptance of electronic documents.

The JI-SDR would provide simple, transparent, fair, and user-friendly global rules to facilitate trade in services.

Mr Wilson said, “It is notable that because Australia has been convinced of this logic for some time, our regulatory practice already complies with these new rules, but of course Australian companies stand to benefit by their wider adoption."

The committee agreed that notwithstanding some concern about the way such plurilateral agreements sit alongside the WTO, the JI-SDR was likely to reinforce the centrality of the World Trade Organization and create momentum in multilateral rule-making.

The report can be found on the Committee website, along with further information on the inquiry.

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Current talks around changes to industrial relations (IR) laws "should unequivocally exclude any changes to the right of Australian tradies to work as independent contractors" HIA policy and industry deputy managing director Jocelyn Martin said today.

Ms Martin’s call comes as Federal and State Governments and industry representatives meet in Canberra this week to discuss a broad range of changes to areas in the IR space.

“Independent contracting arrangements are a long-standing feature of the residential building industry. The industry relies on these work arrangements as a way of productively managing the needs of building businesses, especially smaller businesses,” Ms Martin said.

“HIA estimates that over 80 percent of the work completed in the sector is performed by independent contractors.

“For residential builders, it provides a flexible, workable and efficient model for engaging workers and managing the peaks and troughs of the home building cycle. Builders rely on access to good and reliable trade contractors to maintain competitiveness.

“Australians rely on independent contractors to build the houses that feed the desperate demand for affordable housing," Ms Martin said.

“Federal and State Governments have long held different views on what constitutes an independent contractor creating challenges for the industry but threatening the ability for a trades person to remain their own boss, by forcing them to be classified as an employee would be a backward step.

“HIA is well equipped to help all sides of politics come to a sensible based definition for independent contracting, that will not impede the right for trades people to work independently.

“HIA suggests there needs to be a single national objective test, based on the ATO’s approach, to distinguish employees from independent contractors," she said.

"The ATO considers whether a person works to produce a result, provides plant and equipment or tools of the trade (if required) and whether they are liable for rectification of any defective work to distinguish independent contractors from employees.

"The advantage of this approach is that instead of defining an ’employee’, the rules merely identify who is an independent contractor," Ms Martin said.

“The task of governments should be to preserve and enhance genuine independent contracting businesses, not force small business to become employees.

“Restricting the use of independent contracting in the residential building industry will only serve to undermine the contribution of the sector to overall economic growth and exacerbate the challenge of making housing more affordable,” Ms Martin said.

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THE Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) has welcomed the announcement of new banking initiatives that seek to address the scourge of scams.

“We see every day, in our work with consumers and banks, the devastating impact scams can have on people,” AFCA’s chief ombudsman and chief executive, David Locke said.

“We welcome any initiatives by banks to seek to protect their customers, including the innovative use of technology.”

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) today announced it is introducing 'NameCheck' technology for money transfers along with caller verification via the CommBank app.

AFCA is an ombudsman service that works with consumers and financial firms when they find themselves in dispute.

In 2021-22, AFCA received 4,131 complaints in relation to scams, an average of around 340 a month. That was up 28 percent on the previous year.

In the current financial year, this has increased to an average of 400 scam-related complaints a month.

“It’s not just the volume of complaints involving scams that is increasing, but also the sums involved,” Mr Locke said. "People are losing home deposits and retirement savings. We know that vulnerable people can be just as devastated by the loss of money they’d set aside for bills.

“This mustn’t continue, and we encourage all banks to consider what further steps they can take.”

Mr Locke said AFCA would continue to engage with industry, consumer groups and regulators, sharing its complaints data and insights, in the joint effort to reduce scam transactions.

About AFCA

The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) is a non-government ombudsman service providing free, fair and independent help with financial disputes. AFCA is a one-stop-shop for consumers and small businesses who have a dispute with their financial firm, over things such as banking, credit, insurance, advice, investments or superannuation. Where an agreement cannot be reached between parties, AFCA can issue decisions that are binding on financial firms.

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THE Select Committee on Workforce Australia Employment Services will conduct its final public hearing relating to ParentsNext today, February 1,  2023 in Perth. 

The committee will hear from policy and advocacy bodies, service providers, and Western Australia Government agencies.

The hearing follows two days of meetings with stakeholders in Perth and regional WA. The committee will explore current service models and gain insights from employers, local business, and members of First Nations communities.

Committee chair, Julian Hill MP, said, "As the committee finalises the first major component of its inquiry, it is important that we hear about the services and supports available at the state level, and the challenges of service delivery in a state as large and geographically isolated as WA. The involvement of stakeholders in all sectors, and in all states and territories, will be critical to ensuring that pre-employment services meet the needs of our community."

The committee will make recommendations relating to ParentsNext by the end of February 2023, as part of its larger inquiry into Workforce Australia Employment Services.

Information about the inquiry, including Terms of Reference, future public hearings, published submissions and hearing transcripts, is available on the inquiry website.

Public hearing details

Time               
8.15am – 11.45am (Perth Time)
Location         
Duxton Room 1, Duxton Hotel, 1 St Georges Terrace, Perth
Witnesses     
Western Australian Council of Social Service
Anglicare WA
Women’s Health and Family Services
atWork Australia
Training Alliance Group
WA Department of Training and Workforce Development
WA Department of Communities
Office of the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, WA Department of Health           

An audio broadcast of the hearing will be available via the Watch, Read, Listen website.

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