Employment and Workplace Relations

Australian Industrial Relations Commission and Australian Industrial Registry - relocation

Expense ($m)

	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07
Department of Employment and Workplace Relations	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8

The Government will provide additional funding totalling $8.3 million over ten years to the Australian Industrial Relations Commission and the Australian Industrial Registry to supplement fit-out costs associated with the relocation of the Melbourne office of the Commission and Registry to new premises.

Commonwealth Unfair Dismissal Scheme - expanded coverage

Expense ($m)

	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07
Department of Employment and Workplace Relations	1.1	5.1	5.1	5.2

The Government will provide $16.5 million over four years to expand coverage of the Commonwealth unfair dismissal scheme, resulting in more Australian employees being covered by Commonwealth legislation rather than State legislation. This measure will provide greater uniformity in unfair dismissal legislation for the majority of Australian employers and employees, reduce complexity and provide greater certainty about the application of legislation.

Additional funding will be provided to the Australian Industrial Relations Commission to cover the cost of additional members of the Commission.

See also the related capital measure titled Commonwealth Unfair Dismissal Scheme - expanded coverage in the Employment and Workplace Relations portfolio.

Employee Share Ownership Development Unit

Expense ($m)

	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07
Department of Employment and Workplace Relations	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4

The Government will provide funding of $1.7 million over four years to establish an Employee Share Ownership Development Unit within the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. The Unit will actively promote employee share ownership (where an employee obtains a stake in their employer by acquiring shares in their employer company) and other financial participation schemes. The Unit will work with employers and employees by providing information and assistance with the design and implementation of such schemes.

The establishment of the Unit is part of the Government's response to Shared Endeavours: An inquiry into employee share ownership in Australia, announced on 27 March 2003.

See also the related revenue measure titled Employee share schemes - roll-over of taxing point on corporate restructure in the Treasury portfolio.

Employment Innovation Fund

Expense ($m)

	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07
Department of Employment and Workplace Relations	-	-	-	-

The Employment Innovation Fund will form part of the Job Network and will provide support to initiatives that address employment or labour market related problems in innovative ways. The Fund will generally provide up to $100,000 per project from July 2003, out of a total funding pool of $1 million per annum, to support a diverse range of projects proposed at the community level to improve employment outcomes.

The costs of the fund have already been included in the forward estimates of the Job Network programme.

Indigenous Capital Assistance Scheme

Expense ($m)

	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07
Department of Employment and Workplace Relations	-	-	-	-

The Government will allocate funding of $10.5 million over four years under the Indigenous Employment Policy (IEP) for Indigenous Capital Assistance. The scheme aims to encourage economic independence for Indigenous people by subsidising borrowing for Indigenous businesses from the private financial sector primarily through interest rate subsidies. The details of the scheme will be finalised in consultation with private institutions and Indigenous stakeholders.

The IEP is a multi-faceted programme with a number of elements already available for providing financial assistance to maximise employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians. These elements include financial assistance for structured training and employment, wage assistance and other services.

Capital assistance will be an additional element available under the IEP to promote ongoing employment (including self-employment) opportunities for Indigenous Australians. The cost of this new element will be funded from within the existing IEP forward estimates.

Job search training - early access for young job seekers

Expense ($m)

	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07
Department of Employment and Workplace Relations	-	-	-	-

From July 2004, job seekers aged 16 to 24 will have access to Intensive Support job search training as soon as they start receiving unemployment payments. This will allow young job seekers to develop essential job search skills sooner, leading to more successful job search activity.

The measure will involve funding of $12.5 million over three years and is incorporated within the forward estimates of the Job Network programme.

Royal Commission into the Building and Construction Industry - initial response

Expense ($m)

	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07
Department of Employment and Workplace Relations	17.0	-	-	-

As part of its initial response to the Royal Commission into the Building and Construction Industry, the Government has announced that, in 2003-04, it will provide $6.9 million to fund an extension of the Interim Building Industry Task Force until 30 June 2004, $5 million for preparatory costs associated with the establishment of new agencies and $5.1 million to the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations to facilitate the implementation of the recommendations.

The Government has also announced that it will accept, in principle, the Royal Commission's recommendations with respect to:

• introducing an industry specific Act;

• establishing an industry specific regulatory body;

• establishing the Office of the Commissioner for Occupational Health and Safety; and

• extending the National Code of Practice and Commonwealth Implementation Guidelines.

Funding in relation to these matters will be announced separately.

Workplace Relations Act - measures to ensure compliance and enforce relevant orders

Expense ($m)

	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07
Department of Employment and Workplace Relations	-	-	-	-

The Commonwealth will take a more active role in pursuing a range of legal sanctions to ensure compliance with the Workplace Relations Act 1996 and to enforce orders of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission and the Federal Court.

The departmental costs of $7 million over four years will be met by reprioritisation within the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.

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