Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-mwx4w Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-20T01:00:05.346Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Productivity Commission and industrial relations reform

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

David Peetz
David Peetz*
Affiliation:
Griffith University, Australia
*
David Peetz, Department of Employment Relations and Human Resources, Griffith University, Kessels Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia. Email: d.peetz@griffith.edu.au
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This article considers the political economy of the Productivity Commission in industrial relations reform; in particular, its review of the industrial relations framework foreshadowed in 2013 and conducted in 2015. Following a history of the establishment of the Productivity Commission and its predecessor agencies, it argues that the concepts of third-party independence and third-party endorsement are important for understanding the role of the Productivity Commission. A review of the politics of industrial relations reform leads into the central analysis of the political economy of the Productivity Commission’s 2015 inquiry into the Australian workplace relations framework. The concepts of third-party independence and endorsement are applied in analysing some of the inquiry’s key recommendations. The conclusion discusses several difficulties in the political economy of the Productivity Commission and its relationships to government and, indeed, to evidence, when the latter contradicted its mainly liberal market stance.

Keywords

D73H11J51J53J58Construction industry employment relationsemployment relations reformindependent third party policy agenciesindustrial relations frameworkmarket liberalismpenalty ratesProductivity Commissionthird-party endorsement
Type
Symposium Articles
Information
The Economic and Labour Relations Review , Volume 27 , Issue 2: Symposium: Permanent Productivity Crisis - the Productivity Commission’s role in economic and social policy in Australia , June 2016 , pp. 164 - 180
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2016

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abetz, E, Hockey, J (2014) Productivity Commission review of the workplace relations framework. Press Release, 10 December. Available at: https://ministers.employment.gov.au/abetz/productivity-commission-review-workplace-relations-framework (accessed 12 April 2016).Google Scholar
Allan, C, Dungan, A, Peetz, D (2010) ‘Anomalies’, damned ‘anomalies’ and statistics: construction industry productivity in Australia. Journal of Industrial Relations 52(1): 61–79.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) (2015) GST debate: will they? Won’t they? Who’s said what about the goods and services tax. ABC News Online, 21 July. Available at: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-21/gst-promises-timeline-who-said-what-abbott-howard-hockey-hewson/5463652 (accessed 8 April 2016).Google Scholar
Borland, J (2015) Report to the Fair Work Commission Examining the Report by Professor Lewis on Penalty Rates and the Retail, Cafe and Restaurant, and Hairdressing and Beauty Services Expert Report. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: University of Melbourne. Available at: https://www.fwc.gov.au/documents/sites/awardsmodernfouryr/AM2014305-UV-Borland-040915.pdf (accessed 8 April 2016).Google Scholar
Business Spectator (2013) Productivity Commission, unions at odds over review of IR laws. Productivity Spectator, 25 June. Available at: http://www.businessspectator.com.au/news/2013/6/25/productivity/productivity-commission-unions-odds-over-review-ir-laws (accessed 8 April 2016).Google Scholar
Carbonell, R (2006) Debate continues as IR laws take effect. Lateline, 27 March. Available at: http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2006/s1602129.htm (accessed 8 April 2016).Google Scholar
Crowe, D (2007) WorkChoices does the job for labor. Australian Financial Review, 26 November, p. 5.Google Scholar
Curtis, L (2010) Abbott sends mixed WorkChoices messages. ABC News Online, 19 July. Available at: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-07-19/abbott-sends-mixed-workchoices-messages/911064 (accessed 25 March 2016)Google Scholar
Desloires, V, Dunckley, M (2015) Employers step up efforts to get rid of penalty rates. Sydney Morning Herald, 3 January. Available at: http://www.smh.com.au/business/employers-step-up-efforts-to-get-rid-of-penalty-rates-20150102–12gylv.html-ixzz43vB0pyx9 (accessed 1 April 2016).Google Scholar
Essential Media Communications (EMC) (2015) Penalty rates. Essential Report, 28 July. Available at: http://www.essentialvision.com.au/penalty-rates-3 (accessed 1 April 2016).Google Scholar
Fair Work Commission (2012) General Manager’s Report into the Extent to Which Individual Flexibility Arrangements Are Agreed to and the Content of Those Arrangements. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: Fair Work Commission. Available at: https://www.fwc.gov.au/about-us/reports-publications/general-managers-reports (accessed 1 April 2016).Google Scholar
Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) (2014) Annual Report 2013–14. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: FWO.Google Scholar
Ferguson, A, Toft, K, Christodoulou, M (2016) Money for nothing. Four Corners, 8 March. Available at: http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2016/03/07/4417757.htm (accessed 1 April 2016).Google Scholar
Freudenberg, G (1977) A Certain Grandeur: Gough Whitlam in Politics. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: Viking.Google Scholar
Gahan, P (2007) Employer Greenfields Agreements under Work Choices. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: Office of the Workplace Rights Advocate.Google Scholar
Gittins, R (2007) Dark art of econometrics. Sydney Morning Herald, 27 August. Available at: http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/dark-art-of-econometrics/2007/08/26/1188066946510.html (accessed 6 April 2016).Google Scholar
Green, R, Toner, P (2014) Productivity Commission’s myopic failure on industry assistance. The Conversation, 2 July. Available at: http://theconversation.com/productivity-commissions-myopic-failure-on-industry-assistance-28616 (accessed 6 April 2016).Google Scholar
Hannan, E (2015) Business pleased with workplace blueprint but PM wary. Australian Financial Review, 4 August. Available at: http://www.afr.com/news/policy/industrial-relations/business-pleased-with-workplace-blueprint-but-pm-wary-20150804-gir5io-ixzz43yv8kyxa (accessed 8 April 2016).Google Scholar
Hannan, E (2016) Australian building and construction commission bill faces senate defeat. Australian Financial Review, 12 March. Available at: http://www.afr.com/business/construction/australian-building-and-construction-commission-bill-faces-senate-defeat-20150312-142i30 (accessed 12 April 2016).Google Scholar
Hocking, J (2012) Gough Whitlam: His Time. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: Miegunyah Press.Google Scholar
Hudson, P (2005) All power to Howard. Sunday Age, 7 August, p. 8.Google Scholar
Ivy Worldwide (2016) Why third-party endorsements matter. Available at: http://ivyworldwide.com/services/third-party-endorsement/ (accessed 1 April 2016).Google Scholar
Kenny, M, Lucas, C (2013) Liberals’ ire as Abetz goes ‘freelancing’. Sydney Morning Herald, 23 August. Available at: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/liberals-ire-as-abetz-goes-freelancing-20130822-2seh8.html (accessed 8 April 2016).Google Scholar
Liberal Party of Australia and National Party (2013) The coalition’s policy to improve the fair work laws. Available at: http://lpaweb-static.s3.amazonaws.com/Policies/FairWork.pdf (accessed 15 April 2016).Google Scholar
Ling, S, Waterhouse, J (2009) Individual firms and regional business clusters: the HRM advantage in rent generation. Paper presented at Labour, Capital and Change: Proceedings of the 23rd conference of the Association of Industrial Relations Academics of Australia and New Zealand, Newcastle upon Tyne, 4–6 February.Google Scholar
Lloyd, CJ, Reid, GS (1974) Out of the Wilderness: The Return of Labor. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: Cassell & Co.Google Scholar
Lynn, J, Jay, A (2011) The Complete Yes Minister. London: Random House.Google Scholar
Lyons, T (2015) There may be non-economic considerations. The Monthly, 5 August. Available at: https://www.themonthly.com.au/blog/tim-lyons/2015/05/2015/1438744398/there-may-be-non-economic-considerations (accessed 6 April 2016).Google Scholar
McCallum, Moore, M, Edwards, J (2012) Towards More Productive and Equitable Workplaces: An Evaluation of the Fair Work Legislation: Report of the Fair Work Act Review. Canberra, ACT, Australia: Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.Google Scholar
McCrystal, S (2006) Shifting the balance of power in collective bargaining: Australian law, industrial action and WorkChoices. The Economic and Labour Relations Review 16(2): 9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maley, J (2007) WorkChoices fear campaign to blame. The Australian, 26 November, p. 8.Google Scholar
Massola, J (2014a) Abetz says WorkChoices scare ‘neutralised’ by Coalition. Sydney Morning Herald, 3 September. Available at: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/abetz-says-workchoices-scare-neutralised-by-coalition-20140902-10bgz9.html (accessed 8 April 2016).Google Scholar
Massola, J (2014b) Workers under microscope: Abbott government to scrutinise pay, penalties, conditions. Sydney Morning Herald, 7 March. Available at: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/workers-under-microscope-abbott-government-to-scrutinise-pay-penalties-conditions-20140306-34aau.html (accessed 6 April 2016).Google Scholar
Morris, S (2007) Small swings, vital losses. Australian Financial Review, 26 November, p. 14.Google Scholar
Murray, G (2006) Capitalist Networks and Social Power in Australia and New Zealand. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing.Google Scholar
NSW Business Chamber (2013) Small business: too big to ignore. Available at: http://www.nswbusinesschamber.com.au/Issues/Campaigns/Small-Business-Too-Big-to-Ignore (accessed 9 April 2016).Google Scholar
Peetz, D (2002) Sympathy for the devil? Attitudes to Australian unions. Australian Journal of Political Science 37(1): 57–80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peetz, D (2006) Brave New Workplace: How Individual Contracts Are Changing Our Jobs. Sydney, NSW, Australia: Allen & Unwin.Google Scholar
Peetz, D (2010) Are individualistic attitudes killing collectivism? Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research 16(3): 383–398.Google Scholar
Peetz, D, Bailey, J (2011) Neoliberal evolution and union responses in Australia. In: Gall, G, Wilkinson, A, Hurd, R (eds) International Handbook on Labour Unions: Responses to Neo-Liberalism. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 62–81.Google Scholar
Peetz, D, Preston, A (2009) Individual contracting, collective bargaining and wages in Australia. Industrial Relations Journal 40(5): 444–461.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Phillips, M (2014) Vic election: we are union, hear us roar. Working Life, 1 December. Available at: http://workinglife.org.au/2014/12/01/we-are-union-hear-us-roar/ (accessed 11 April 2016).Google Scholar
Pocock, B (2016) Holding up half the sky? Women at work in the 21st century. The Economic and Labour Relations Review 27(2): 147–163.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Price, J (2015) Anti-penalty rates campaign backfires. Canberra Times, 7 April. Available at: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/antipenalty-rates-campaign-backfires-20150406-1mfblu (accessed 11 April 2016).Google Scholar
Productivity Commission (PC) (2009) Executive Remuneration in Australia: Productivity Commission Inquiry Report, No 49. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: PC.Google Scholar
Productivity Commission (PC) (2014) Public Infrastructure: Productivity Commission Inquiry Report, vol. 2, no 71. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: PC.Google Scholar
Productivity Commission (PC) (2015a) Workplace Relations Framework Draft Report: Overview. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: PC.Google Scholar
Productivity Commission (PC) (2015b) Workplace Relations Framework: Issues Papers (Nos 1–5). Australian Policy Online, 22 January. Available at: http://apo.org.au/resource/workplace-relations-framework-issues-papers (accessed 12 April 2016).Google Scholar
Productivity Commission (PC) (2015c) Workplace Relations Framework: Productivity Commission Inquiry Report, vol. 1. Canberra, ACT, Australia: PC.Google Scholar
Quiggin, J (2015) Effects of Penalty Rates in the Restaurant Sector Brief Prepared for United Voice in Relation to the Fair Work Commission Review of Penalty Rates. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: University of Queensland.Google Scholar
Ransley, J (2015) A rocky road for unwary royal commissioners. Inside Story, 31 August. Available at: http://insidestory.org.au/a-rocky-road-for-unwary-royal-commissioners (accessed 15 April 2016).Google Scholar
Roy Morgan Research (2014) Roy Morgan Image of Professions Survey 2014 – Nurses still most highly regarded–followed by Doctors, Pharmacists & High Court Judges. Roy Morgan Research, 11 April. Available at: http://www.roymorgan.com.au/findings/5531-image-of-professions-2014-201404110537 Google Scholar
Skinner, N, Pocock, B (2014) The Persistent Challenge: Living, Working and Caring in Australia in 2014: The Australian Work and Life Index 2014. Adelaide, SA, Australia: Centre for Work + Life; University of South Australia.Google Scholar
Spies-Butcher, B, Wilson, S (2007) Did Work Choices impact on the NSW election result? Australian Review of Public Affairs Digest, May. Available at: http://www.australianreview.net/digest/2007/05/spies-butcher_wilson.html (accessed 15 April 2016).Google Scholar
Taft, P (1998) Does who wins matter more or less? An analysis of major party candidate views on some aspects of economic policy, 1987–1996. Public Policy Program, Discussion paper no. 57. Canberra, ACT, Australia: Australian National University.Google Scholar
Taylor, L (2015) Tony Abbott says cutting penalty rates will create jobs, but voters disagree. The Guardian, 23 January. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/jan/23/coalition-faces-uphill-task-convincing-even-their-supporters-on-penalty-rates (accessed 12 April 2016).Google Scholar
The Australian (2015) Time to bust workplace myths: sweeping IR changes. The Australian, 23 January. Available at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/industrial-relations/time-to-bust-workplace-myths-sweeping-ir-review/story-fn59noo3-1227193924736 (accessed 8 April 2016).Google Scholar
Tran, C (2015) Small businesses and restaurants forced to close over Easter long weekend because they can’t afford to pay inflated penalty rates that allow teenagers to earn up to $50 an HOUR. Daily Mail, 3 April. Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3023232/Small-businesses-restaurants-forced-close-Easter-long-weekend-t-afford-pay-inflated-penalty-rates-allow-teenagers-earn-50-HOUR.html-ixzz43vAVJ7zB (accessed 12 April 2016).Google Scholar
Turnbull, HM (2016) Interview: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on ABCC legislation, tax reform, negative gearing. ABC 7.30, 21 March. Available at: http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2015/s4429301.htm (accessed 14 April 2016).Google Scholar
Verma, A (2005) What do unions do to the workplace? Union effects on management and hrm policies. Journal of Labor Research 26(3): 415–449.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walker, E, Burgin, K (2015) The astonishing power of 3rd party endorsements. BPlans: Starting a Business Made Easy. Available at: http://articles.bplans.com/the-astonishing-power-of-3rd-party-endorsements/ (accessed 6 February 2016).Google Scholar
Weller, P, Cutt, J (1976) Treasury Control in Australia. Sydney, NSW, Australia: Ian Novak Publishing.Google Scholar
Westacott, J (2015) Creating jobs in the age of disruption. Media and Speeches, Business Council of Australia, 13 August. Available at: http://www.bca.com.au/media/creating-jobs-in-the-age-of-disruption-kingsley-laffer-memorial-lecture-by-jennifer-westacott (accessed 15 April 2016).Google Scholar
Yu, S (2015) Evaluating the Impact of Sunday Penalty Rates in the NSW Retail Industry Report Prepared for the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA). Sydney, NSW, Australia: University of Sydney Business School.Google Scholar