Workplace Relations & WHS

Greater flexibility required in our workplace relations system

Despite some fluctuations in its ranking over the most recent reporting periods, South Australia currently has the highest unemployment in the nation. We need a workplace relations system that allows for flexibility and can drive productivity to allow businesses to grow and thrive, creating future job opportunities for South Australians.

We are also a small business state with 97.5 per cent of local businesses classified as small businesses employing less than 20 people. It is important that small businesses are given the capacity to reach individual agreements, departing from the relevant award or enterprise agreement, with an appropriate safety net to ensure the employee is not disadvantaged.

The South Australian Business Chamber was involved in the recent Productivity Commission inquiry into Australia’s workplace relations framework. We supported the suggested reforms to penalty rates, Individual Flexibility Agreements, unfair dismissal laws and the proposed Enterprise Contract. These potential changes are all steps in the right direction and will allow small business some of the flexibility they need to manage and operate their business.

There still remain areas of the workplace relations system that need fundamental reform, for example, the complexity and restrictions in the Modern Awards system remains a major barrier for small business.

If you’d like to get in touch with our Policy and Advocacy Team, please submit an online enquiry and one of our staff will get back in touch with you.