Abbott delays workplace law overhaul

It looks as though the federal government’s planned reform of workplace laws will be put on hold in favour of spending on the new budget.

The Productivity Commission’s expected review of workplace laws has been delayed until the second half of the year.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s office has pushed the review back so it can instead focus on steering the new budget through the senate, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

The draft terms of reference for the review of the Fair Work Act were revealed by Fairfax Media in March and showed that the review would look at workers’ pay and conditions, penalty rates, union militancy and workplace flexibility.

It was also expected to look at the impact of the Fair Work Act on unemployment, productivity, business investment and the labour market’s ability to respond to economic conditions.

Other factors that contributed to the review’s delay included the launch of the trade union royal commission and the government’s intention to pass other workplace law changes like restoring the Australian Building and Construction Commission, the Herald reported.

The report-back date for the review is now expected to be late next year or early 2016.

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