Local businesses are struggling through higher rents, higher energy bills, higher prices for goods and interest rates impacting purchasing power from their customers.
Labor’s new industrial relations laws will make life even tougher for Australian small businesses by increasing costs, complexity and red tape.
Through the proposed Fair Work (Closing Loopholes) Bill 2023, many small businesses say that the changes will increase complexity and likely lead to job losses.
During a cost-of-living crisis, where prices for all facets of business have gone up, small businesses are under enough pressure already.
One such example is the impact on casual employees, who are at the heart of many local businesses.
Casual roles provide flexibility for the business to deal with seasonal fluctuations, while enabling employees with the ability to set hours which suits their own lives.
One of the biggest issues for small business is that under Labor’s proposed changes, casual employment is under threat.
When the Coalition was in Government, we were successful in defining a ‘casual employee’.
Labor will replace this definition with a new definition that considers not only the contract of employment but also the “real substance, practical reality and true nature” of the employment relationship.
While being incredibly confusing, this new definition will also take into account whether a casual falls into a regular pattern of work over a period of time.
If so, there could be grounds for an employee to be defined as a part-time employee, whether they themselves seek to be one or not.
The impact of Labor’s changes to casual employment could essentially stop casuals working regular patterns of work.
This is just one of a number of proposed changes, which could make life more difficult for businesses and their employees.
However, the Coalition is committed to helping small businesses grow and create jobs.
If you are a local small business owner, I would love to hear from you.
That’s why I have created a new Small Business Survey, which businesses can complete online.
The survey seeks your input on issues impacting small business.
You can complete my Small Business Survey, by visiting lbr.al/xfka
