Bill
Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Administration) Bill 2024
passed, as at 2024-08-22. Employment and Workplace Relations portfolio.
- Sponsor
- Not recorded
- Portfolio
- Employment and Workplace Relations
Recorded stages
- introduced — 2024-08-12
- second reading — 2024-08-12
- second reading — 2024-08-13
- second reading — 2024-08-14
- second reading — 2024-08-15
- second reading — 2024-08-19
- second reading — 2024-08-19
- third reading — 2024-08-19
- introduced — 2024-08-20
- second reading — 2024-08-20
- second reading — 2024-08-20
- second reading — 2024-08-20
- committee — 2024-08-20
- third reading — 2024-08-20
- passed — 2024-08-20
- royal assent — 2024-08-22
Divisions
- Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Administration) Bill 2024 - Second Reading - Agree with the bill's main idea — 2024-08-19, Senate: affirmative, ayes 39, noes 10
- The majority voted in favour of [amendments](https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Hansard/Hansard_Display?bid=chamber/hansards/28058/&sid=0000) introduced by the opposition, which means they will now be included as part of the bill. ### Amendment text See sheets [2797](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Famend%2Fs1423_amend_d3c22412-a9d8-478e-9224-7ca95d7e0fdc%22;rec=0), [2798 revised 3](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Famend%2Fs1423_amend_1d3b712c-84d7-4ea1-b835-f45f94ff2d6d%22;rec=0), [2799](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Famend%2Fs1423_amend_df7e6cc9-8f0c-43c6-ab5b-0ca92c8bd366%22;rec=0), [2824](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Famend%2Fs1423_amend_49803bfe-824c-4a53-8ea7-bbaad4b04437%22;rec=0), [2825](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Famend%2Fs1423_amend_1afe6f97-f67b-4638-ae8c-c85d03c87e63%22;rec=0), [2826](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Famend%2Fs1423_amend_60e02031-4ef3-4bd7-83c3-a31c3dd5bbc8%22;rec=0), [2827](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Famend%2Fs1423_amend_81fbf044-651d-43f9-8056-62de0e0aa080%22;rec=0) and [2828](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Famend%2Fs1423_amend_df5e41a5-2845-4c9b-98a8-a17a13c35df9%22;rec=0) for the text of the various amendments. — 2024-08-19, Senate: affirmative, ayes 46, noes 10
- The majority voted in favour of a [motion](https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Hansard/Hansard_Display?bid=chamber/hansards/28058/&sid=0000) to keep item 9 of schedule 1 as it is. In parliamentary jargon, they voted that it "stand as printed". This motion was put after the Greens introduced the following amendment: > *(1) Schedule 1, item 9, page 15 (lines 4 to 9), to be opposed.* ### What is item 9 of schedule 1? > *9 Retrospective application of civil penalty provision* > > *The following provisions of the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 apply in relation to conduct engaged in on or after 17 July 2024:* > >> *(a) section 323P, other than subsection 323P(5);* >> >> *(b) section 323Q.* — 2024-08-19, Senate: affirmative, ayes 45, noes 10
- The majority voted against [Greens amendments](https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Hansard/Hansard_Display?bid=chamber/hansards/28058/&sid=0000) on sheets [2789](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Famend%2Fs1423_amend_dfdc4cc7-5066-4328-8394-01c8e50ccb46%22;rec=0), [2810](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Famend%2Fs1423_amend_d06bcf8a-b9a2-4e97-b330-8fdd84a2a083%22;rec=0), [2813](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Famend%2Fs1423_amend_6280c4d4-091e-4cc2-b513-26227d39d201%22;rec=0), [2816](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Famend%2Fs1423_amend_2c8a3b01-233f-4d76-a9d5-cc69b16bbae5%22;rec=0), [2818](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Famend%2Fs1423_amend_636b517c-8a03-4625-bdde-4c800581141b%22;rec=0), [2819](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Famend%2Fs1423_amend_b25e81b3-cd5f-4ee7-95ad-4da55ab7d465%22;rec=0), [2820](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Famend%2Fs1423_amend_113f9e08-daed-4c15-bcf9-fda96beba46a%22;rec=0) and [2821](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Famend%2Fs1423_amend_7d30ef8d-0650-46f5-a178-c33c9a16d9c8%22;rec=0), which means they failed. ### Amendment text **SHEET 2789** > *(1) Schedule 1, item 5, page 6 (after line 11), after subsection 323B(3), insert:* > >> *(3A) If t — 2024-08-19, Senate: negative, ayes 10, noes 46
- Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Administration) Bill 2024 - Third Reading - Pass the bill — 2024-08-19, Senate: affirmative, ayes 47, noes 10
- Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Administration) Bill 2024 - Second Reading - Speed things along — 2024-08-20, House of Representatives: affirmative, ayes 76, noes 71
- Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Administration) Bill 2024 - Consideration in Detail - Speed things along — 2024-08-20, House of Representatives: affirmative, ayes 75, noes 68
Plain-language summary
Written by a model from the explanatory memorandum; not the record, as at 2024-08-12.
The bill would put one division of a major union into external management for up to 5 years.
The Minister could set up an administration scheme by legislative instrument, and the General Manager of the Fair Work Commission would appoint an administrator, whose costs the union must pay.
The bill includes retrospective civil penalties from 1 July 2024, while criminal sanctions would only apply from the date the bill starts.
- Places the Construction and General Division of the CFMEU under administration for up to 5 years.
- Gives the Minister power to determine an administration scheme by legislative instrument.
- Makes the General Manager of the Fair Work Commission responsible for appointing an administrator and overseeing the scheme.
- Requires the CFMEU to pay all administration costs.
- Prevents removed persons from acting as bargaining representatives or holding office in an organisation, subject to certification.
- Provides whistleblower protections for complainants through an internal complaints mechanism.
The Construction and General Division of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union, its officers, employees, agents and members, as well as the CFMEU as a whole.
Sources
em
em supp
em supp
em revised
billhome
frl act