Page 1121 - Week 04 - Thursday, 21 May 2020
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In conclusion, the Greens support this bill. We think it is an important piece of legislation designed to advance the rights and protections of workers in the ACT and, hopefully, lead to a city where there is less insecure work.
MS CODY (Murrumbidgee) (5.06): I am pleased to speak today in support of the Labour Hire Licensing Bill 2020. This bill clearly demonstrates the Barr Labor government’s drive and commitment to be as proactive as possible when protecting the rights of workers across the ACT.
Labour hire typically involves a triangular relationship in which a labour hire company has a commercial contract to supply a worker to perform work for a host agency. The host agency pays the labour hire firm and the labour hire firm then pays the worker. The worker does not usually have a contract with the host agency.
Territory workers have an essential role in supporting and contributing to our economy. Labour hire workers in particular are amongst the individuals who work tirelessly day in and day out in industries to maintain and improve our daily standard of living. Labour hire workers are an asset to our communities and deserve the protections at work that many of us take for granted.
As the Assembly is aware, Australia has seen a number of inquiries on the insecurities and exploitations that labour hire workers face every day. My colleague Mr Rattenbury just spoke about the inquiry I am about to speak about: the 2017 Standing Committee on Education, Employment, and Youth Affairs inquiry into insecure work. It resolved to inquire into the extent, nature and consequences of insecure work in the territory. As Mr Rattenbury said, the standing committee received 39 public submissions and heard evidence from a number of witnesses at public hearings held between September and October of that year. There was overwhelming evidence presented that the lack of visibility of rogue labour hire providers operating in the territory had led to the exploitation of vulnerable workers.
The standing committee chair presented the report of the committee—Inquiry into the extent, nature and consequence of insecure work in the ACT—to the Assembly on 8 May 2018. Both government and non-government members of the standing committee supported the adoption of a national labour hire licensing scheme. Unfortunately, as we have heard already today, a national scheme has not been forthcoming. I agree with Mr Rattenbury that I cannot see it coming in the near future under the current government that lives across the lake.
Mr Parton: I’m not sure they live there.
MS CODY: I am not sure they work there either, Mr Parton. This government should be applauded for the proactive measures it is taking with this bill to protect vulnerable labour hire workers.
In the context of introducing legislation to protect vulnerable workers, it is incumbent upon us to outline what constitutes a vulnerable worker. This cohort is made up of certain groups of workers who may require additional regulatory practices to be put in
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