Mr McClelland asked the Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business, upon notice, on 24 November 1998:

Will the Government amend the Workplace Relations Act to reduce, diminish or restrict the remedy available to apprentices under the Act in respect of dismissal in harsh, unjust or unconscionable circumstances; if so, how.

Mr Reith (Workplace Relations and Small Business) —The answer to the honourable member's question is as follows:

The Workplace Relations Amendment (Unfair Dismissals) Bill 1998 currently before the Parliament would exclude both employees with less than six months' continuous service and those who are employed by a business with 15 or fewer employees from the unfair dismissal laws. However, apprentices and trainees would not be affected by those amendments.