KEEPING UP TO DATE

Closing the Loop Bill delayed

The Closing the Loopholes Bill, introduced by Workplace Minister Tony Burke, has been pushed back in the Senate, with the opposition voting to extend the deadline for the findings of the report until February 2024.

The Bill aimed to criminalise deliberate worker underpayment with hefty penalties.  Australian Retailers Association CEO Paul Zahra praised the decision, highlighting concerns that the Bill in its current form would negatively impact workplace relations without productivity or any job benefits. Zahra said the delay provides relief for retailers dealing with multiple recent workplace reforms (the Closing the Loophole Bill is the third piece of Industrial Relations Reform to be moved this year). Zahra added the delay will allow retailers time to focus on the crucial holiday season amid economic challenges.