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Thursday, 24 November 2011
Page: 9596

Senator JACINTA COLLINS (Victoria—Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Workplace Relations) (20:53): I will take you to the bill's objects, specifically to clause 3(1)(b):

(b) providing for fair and effective workplace representation, consultation, co-operation and issue resolution in relation to work health and safety;

Under this regime it will be the workers' right to determine whether they wish to have representation. That said, though, I have sought from the department advice as to whether, to their knowledge, any exemption regime has ever been raised as a policy issue for consideration or been presented by any of the stakeholders consulted. I must admit that it is the first time it has been suggested. That is perhaps because essentially all of the parties engaged in this process have accepted that the fundamental objective is to give workers the right to representation in relation to their health and safety.