The Government will press ahead in the Senate tomorrow to secure passage of three of its key reform Bills, the Manager of Government Business in the Senate and Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, Senator Ian Campbell, said today.
They are:
- The exemption of small business from unfair dismissal legislation, which was laid aside by the House of Representatives on 28 June last year after unacceptable amendments were made by the Senate;
- the Trade Practices Act amendments to protect small business from secondary boycotts, rejected by the Senate on 19 August last year; and
- the Bill implementing the 2002-03 Budget decision to increase patient co-payments and safety net thresholds under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, rejected by the Senate on 20 June last year.
"These Bills are central to the Government's reform agenda, aimed at stimulating employment growth and ensuring Australia has an affordable and fair pharmaceutical benefits scheme beyond just this generation," Senator Campbell said.
"Labor and others have defined themselves not by developing policy of their own, but by their tactics of obstruction and delay.
"Opposition parties have voted against the unfair dismissal legislation 27 times. And only three months out from the next Budget a vital component of last year's Budget - the pharmaceutical benefits legislation - is still blocked."
The Senate legislation program for this week's sitting is available on www.pmc.gov.au.
CANBERRA
2 March 2003
Contact: Wayne Grant 02 6277 3955 or 0407 845280