Bill Debate · Second Reading
Senate · Wednesday 27 August 2025
Continued from Tuesday 26 August 2025.
Official Hansard for this day (APH) · Read this debate on OpenAustralia
The Senate debated the second reading of the Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Penalty and Overtime Rates) Bill 2025. Senator Pocock moved an amendment calling for legislation establishing a right to request work from home arrangements. Senator Lambie moved a separate amendment noting the government's failure to standardise small business definitions and advocating for a lower company tax rate. Both amendments were defeated in division.
The second reading amendment moved by Senator Pocock was not passed, the amendment moved by Senator Lambie was not passed, and the bill itself was not passed.
Summary in reported speech - not a transcript. AI-generated, so check the official record before quoting.
Continued the debate
Sharma called the question on the second reading amendment previously moved by Senator Kovacic. Sharma did not provide a substantive speech on the bill's principles during this segment. The focus of the recorded proceedings shifted immediately to the amendments moved by other senators.
Pocock moved a second reading amendment asserting that reforms to remote work arrangements were overdue. The amendment called on the government to legislate a right for employees to request working remotely up to two days weekly. It stipulated that employers must positively consider such requests and could only refuse them if the role's inherent requirements made it seriously impractical or impossible.
Lambie moved an amendment noting that the government had failed to standardise the definition of small and medium businesses across legislation. Lambie argued this lack of clarity created confusion and added compliance burdens for industry. The amendment also called for a reduction in the company tax rate for small businesses from 25 per cent to 15 per cent to provide financial relief.