The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Julia Gillard, today welcomed the release of a discussion paper by the Hon Murray Wilcox QC.
The discussion paper invites public submissions on the transition from the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) to a new Building and Construction Specialist Division within Fair Work Australia.
Earlier this year, Minister Gillard announced that the Hon Murray Wilcox QC, a former Australian Federal Court judge would undertake extensive consultations surrounding the creation of and transition to the Specialist Division for building and construction within Fair Work Australia.
The terms of reference were finalised following consultation with the building and construction industry. The discussion paper released today is an important part of Mr Wilcox’s consultation process.
The Hon Murray Wilcox QC will fully and comprehensively consult and consider the matters outlined in the terms of reference before providing his report to the Government by the end of March 2009.
The Government has made it clear that the Australian Building and Construction Commission will be retained until 31 January 2010.
After that date, it will be replaced with a specialist building and construction division within the inspectorate of Fair Work Australia.
The Government commenced this process of extensive consultation with industry stakeholders to ensure that the transition to the new arrangements are orderly, effective and robust.
The powers and resources of the ABCC will be retained until responsibility is transferred to a specialist division within Fair Work Australia on 31 January 2010. This commitment was made prior to the election and it will be honoured.
Public submissions are invited in response to the discussion paper by 5 December 2008. For more information, visit: www.workplace.gov.au/wilcox