[Greens-Media] Abetz targeting penalty rates: Bandt

[Lawson, Damien (A. Bandt, MP)]

Media Release

Adam Bandt MP
Deputy Leader, Australian Greens
Federal Member for Melbourne

20 February 2014

Abetz targeting penalty rates: Bandt

Greens Deputy Leader Adam Bandt MP says the government is revealing its hand on industrial relations.

Mr Bandt says it is becoming clearer by the day that the new industrial relations laws to be introduced into Parliament next week aim to undermine penalty rates and could reintroduce the equivalent of AWAs.

"Eric Abetz has revealed the government's hand on penalty rates", Mr Bandt said.

"The Minister has admitted that individual flexibility agreements can be used to trade off penalty rates."

"Worse, employers may be able to force job seekers to sign one of these agreements and trade-off benefits, or else they won't get the job."

"The fact the government has so far failed to ruled out allowing employers to make signing one of these IFA agreements a condition of starting a job is further evidence that the  government will use IFAs as a return to AWAs."

Contact: Damien Lawson 0487 900 005

Damien Lawson

Strategy and Communications Adviser
Office of Adam Bandt MP
T: 03 9642 0922 M: 0487 900 005
www.adambandt.com<http://www.adambandt.com>