WORKPLACE Relations Minister Julia Gillard has rejected amendments made by the Senate to the Safe Work Australia 2008 Bill.
This political turmoil could cause lengthy delays to the establishment of the new national workplace safety system.
Supporters of the amendments claim they will improve the proposed national system. The main drive of the amendments aims to increase ACTU and ACCI representation on the Safe Work Australia panel to three each.
Other amendments include a list of objectives for the body, and more autonomy from ministerial direction.
According to Gillard, she was rejecting these amendments because it would be breaking from an agreement between the commonwealth and the states and territories. The agreement had been hammered out at a workplace relations ministerial council meeting.
The Minister said the opposition was trying to derail or seriously delay the new system, and claimed the government could dump the measure. The amendments had been backed by a political coalition consisting of the Federal Opposition, the Greens, a number of independent Senators, the ACTU and ACCI.
The government used its superior numbers at the House of Representatives to pass a motion rejecting the amendments.
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