Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Bill 2026; Second Reading

Continued the debate

Roberts moved a second reading amendment urging the government to pursue backpay for casual coal miners who had been underpaid. Roberts argued that the bill rewarded delinquent employers by offering a 20 per cent discount on entitlements, despite poor governance in the sector. Roberts stated that One Nation had been advocating for miners' entitlements since 2019 and sought justice against employers and agencies accused of colluding against workers. Roberts noted that while the bill was noncontroversial, it addressed issues exposed by his party's previous inquiries.

Government response

Green supported the bill as a means to deliver fairness and certainty for workers while supporting employers. Green highlighted that the legislation created a time-limited pathway for resolving unpaid levies and introduced penalties for late payments to ensure compliance. Green thanked the Senate committee for its report and noted that the government had amended the bill in response to submissions. Green addressed the amendment by stating that the Fair Work Ombudsman was already investigating underpayment allegations and commended the bill to the Senate.

Opposition response

Blyth stated that the coalition backed the bill as an uncontroversial change to resolve past ambiguity and safeguard worker entitlements. Blyth argued that the legislation balanced compliance with commercial reality, allowing staged repayments over six years with a waiver option to prevent business insolvencies. Blyth emphasised the importance of the Coal Long Service Leave Scheme, which holds over 71 million hours of leave for more than 160,000 employees. Blyth noted that industry groups welcomed the bill for reducing financial uncertainty and protecting jobs.