Workplace Relations Legislation Amendment (Building Cooperative Workplaces No. 1) Bill 2026; Consideration of Senate Message

Opened the debate

Rishworth moved that the Senate amendments be considered immediately and agreed to. The amendments inserted new provisions into the Fair Work Act 2009 to ensure certain mandatory terms in workplace determinations were not less favourable than corresponding terms in prior enterprise agreements. Rishworth described the changes as a sensible reform to ensure the intractable bargaining provisions operated as intended. The amendments also addressed the application of these rules to determinations made before the commencement of the new provisions.

Government response

Rishworth commended the amendments to the House, stating they ensured mandatory terms in workplace determinations were not less favourable than previous enterprise agreement terms. The member argued this was necessary for the intractable bargaining reforms to function correctly. No other ministerial response was recorded in the transcript.