AMMA calls on Senators to support workplace, productivity and tax reform

Australian Mines and Metals Association (AMMA) — Australia’s national resource industry employer group — has urged the country’s new and existing Senators to urgently support legislation  that will help create and protect well-paid employment opportunities and improve the productivity and competitiveness of Australia’s mining, energy and related sectors.

“AMMA welcomes the new Senators and urges them to support the resource industry in attracting international investment and creating jobs in this country. The new Senate can really get on the front foot and make a statement on its reform intentions, starting with repealing the carbon and mining taxes,” said Steve Knott, Chief Executive at AMMA, in a media release.

“We also encourage the Senate to support renewed workplace reform. This is critically important to the national interest, given the World Economic Forum and other respected commentators continue to cite poor labour relations and productivity as dragging down our international competitiveness.”

AMMA is pressing Senators to urgently support several important pieces of legislation that have not yet passed through Federal Parliament, which it believes would contribute to creating a more globally competitive, productive and harmonious workplace environment in Australia.

These pieces of legislation include:

• Repealing the carbon and mining taxes. In a globally competitive nation there is no place for ideological, flawed taxes that provide negligible social benefits and serve only to impact our international reputation as a good place to do business and employ people.
• The Fair Work Amendment Bill 2014, which addresses specific workplace relations issues that have led to new resource project delays and cost overruns, adverse productivity outcomes and increased industrial disputes.
• The Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Bill 2013 that will reinstate the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) and address intimidation, stand-over tactics and other unlawful and criminal behaviour in the building and construction industry.
• The Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Bill 2014, which will ensure registered organisations, both trade unions and employer groups, are subject to higher standards of corporate governance and financial transparency.

“Australia’s resource industry is hopeful that this suite of legislation will be swiftly passed into law in 2014 and that the new Senate can create a foundation for further positive workplace reform in this country,” Mr Knott said.