The Housing Industry Association (HIA) has responded to changes to workplace laws, having lodged a submission warning that the federal government’s Closing Loopholes Bill represents significant changes to the industrial relations system, according to HIA managing director Jocelyn Martin.

Jocelyn says the submission was made in response to the parliamentary inquiry stating that the HIA has opposed the legislation, highlighting that businesses, particularly smaller businesses, are feeling crushed by the weight of regulatory change.

“The residential building industry is just starting to turn a corner after the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic begin to dissipate. Now is not the time for further disruption via complex regulatory changes that simply add a layer of uncertainty and risk,” she says.

“The ambitions set out in the government’s White Paper on Jobs and Opportunities should not be shackled by unnecessary interference with business. Proposals that would expand union rights, empower the Fair Work Commission to deal with business-to-business arrangements and excessive increases in penalties will simply act as a disincentive to run a business and employ staff.”

Jocelyn says while the HIA is pleased the Government listened to its concerns that reforms targeted at the gig economy cannot and should not impact independent contracting arrangements in the residential building industry, the emerging themes from the proposed laws remain of concern.

“HIA sees this parliamentary inquiry process as an opportunity to better understand how some aspects of the legislation might impact independent contractors and the residential building industry. For example, the proposed new jurisdiction of the Commission to deal with unfair contract terms and measures targeted at the road transport industry supply chain,” she says.

“The Government’s commitment to build 1.2 million homes over the next five years needs a flexible and buoyant housing sector, coupled with policy settings that make employing attractive. Complex and cumbersome change will only serve to do the opposite.”