17 Jun 2020 | Media Release
The Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry welcomes today’s appeal by WorkPac to the High Court in relation to the decision in WorkPac v Rossato, and the intervention by the Attorney-General in this significant matter. The appeal seeks to restore sense and clarity to casual employment for the thousands of Australian small and family businesses negatively affected by this decision.
Whilst ACCI welcomes the move by WorkPac to appeal the decision in WorkPac v Rossato, CEO James Pearson said the Australian business community will be desperately hoping to see common sense restored much sooner than the appeal process will likely take.
“The Rossato case is unlikely to be resolved by the High Court this year. Employers and employees simply can’t wait that long for certainty on the issue of casual employment in the current environment.”
“The urgency of fixing this issue has been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic as casual jobs were some of the first to go and businesses need confidence to restore those positions.
“Thankfully, the Attorney-General has announced that the focus of one of the upcoming industrial relations working groups involving unions, ACCI and other employer groups will focus on the issue of casuals.
“ACCI looks forward to working constructively with all parties on the working group to try to resolve this issue as soon as possible.
“The new evidence that employers could be exposed to more than $14 billion in backpay claims for double payment of entitlements is extremely alarming. At a time when businesses around the country are on their knees, and over 600,000 Australians are out of work, it is vitally important that the issues caused by the Rossato decision are fixed urgently in order to keep businesses afloat and workers employed.
“Casual employment plays an important role in providing jobs and flexible employment options for both employers and employees and will be crucial to giving thousands of Australians a foot in the door as businesses scale back up following the challenges caused by COVID-19.
“Restoring common sense to how casuals are engaged and paid will be critical to encouraging and restoring job growth in our economy.”
28/04/2023
A national Agrifood Workforce Summit held in Brisbane has heard that without urgent attention, workforce issues in the supply chain would continue to put upward...
20/04/2023
Major changes mooted for the Reserve Bank following its first external review in 40 years will be a success if they strengthen the bank’s capability,...
6/04/2023
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the nation’s largest business network, congratulates Justice Adam Hatcher SC on being officially welcomed as the new president...
4/04/2023
Embattled small businesses will be granted some respite today after the Reserve Bank’s decision to halt its rapid run of interest rate increases. “Small business...
31/03/2023
The nation’s largest business organisation, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and its 400,000-strong member network, has backed a 4 per cent wage increase,...
29/03/2023
With further signs that inflationary pressures are receding, the nation’s largest business network has renewed its call for the Reserve Bank to pause any further...
27/03/2023
The nation’s largest business network, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has called on the government to assure the business community that energy affordability...
17/03/2023
Australia will enter a twilight era of economic lethargy and lower standards of living if the Productivity Commission’s stark warnings go unheeded. “This report should...
7/03/2023
The Reserve Bank should pause any further increases to the cash rate at its April meeting following a 25-basis point rise announced today. “With too...
23/02/2023
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has welcomed the launch of the new 10-year Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2023-2033, released today. “The...
22/02/2023
Businesses are delivering the strongest rate of wages growth in more than decade, with the private sector wages bill rising by 3.6 per cent in...
22/02/2023
An extension of post-study work rights and an easing of pre-pandemic student visa work hours restrictions announced by the federal government yesterday will help address...
15/02/2023
The Australian government must categorically reject Greens proposals to block new gas and coal projects as the price of passing emissions safeguards legislation. The Greens...
7/02/2023
The ninth increase to interest rates since May last year raises concern about the impact on small business and the wider economy. “We have already...
31/01/2023
Safeguard Mechanism crediting legislation before the parliament must be passed to provide energy certainty to Australian businesses. “For the sake of certainty and the achievement...
30/01/2023
Government must show expenditure restraint and commit to concrete structural fiscal repair, the nation’s largest business network has outlined today following the release of its...
25/01/2023
Figures released today show inflation at 7.8 per cent in the December quarter, renewing pressure on the Reserve Bank to continue raising interest rates when...
13/01/2023
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has welcomed the release of the Productivity Commission’s report Lifting Productivity at Australia’s container ports: between water, wharf and...
10/01/2023
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry welcomes proposed changes to the safeguard mechanism to drive down carbon emissions while providing business with much-needed certainty. “The safeguard mechanism will...
10/01/2023
Expanding the skilled migration intake, offering temporary migrants a pathway to permanent residency and halving the levy employers pay to recruit foreign workers will be...