Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Penalty and Overtime Rates) Bill 2025

Senator WATT (Queensland—Minister for the Environment and Water) (11:21): All I can say is that parties have always, do always and will always—depending on what future governments decide—have an ability to apply to the commission to vary the terms of an award. My interpretation is that the ACTU is stating the obvious—that parties can apply to seek to vary award terms, just as they could yesterday and they could the day before.

In terms of that ability, nothing changes because of this bill.