“Groundhog Day”: Retail reps say businesses deserve more time to consider IR reforms

Businesses concerned by proposed industrial relations reforms have less than a fortnight to share their views with a Senate committee, prompting retail sector representatives to complain of a “Groundhog Day” scenario mirroring the rush to pass pivotal reforms late last year.

The federal government’s latest tranche of workplace reforms, dubbed the Closing Loopholes bill, is unlikely to pass into law this year after the Opposition and crossbench pushed a Senate report on the bill into 2024.

While the Senate Standing Committees on Education and Employment will table its views on the 284-page bill on February 1, businesses and other stakeholders have until September 29 this year to share their opinions with the committee.