2 July 2004

Australia’s leading companies have released a report on the potential outcomes and impacts on Australia’s economy of the ALP’s workplace relations platform.

 The 80-page report by Access Economics – commissioned by the BCA – found there were real threats to Australia’s continuing economic and job growth if workplace relations were re-regulated in line with Labor’s platform.

The report advocates that other measures such as tax and welfare policies should be examined to address issues of perceived fairness and equity because the long-term cost to the economy of re-regulating the workplace would exceed any benefits.

Releasing the report, the Chairman of the BCA’s Employment and Participation Taskforce, Mr Michael Chaney, said its objective was to encourage greater discussion and understanding of what major changes to the current system of workplace relations might entail.

Read the full news release or obtain a copy of the report here.