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

Senator KOVACIC (New South Wales) (11:28): I think we all believe that people working unsociable hours, weekends or public holidays deserve the penalty rates that they receive. We don't have any concerns in relation to that. Our concerns lie with the necessity of this bill, why it has been put forward in the manner that it has and the impacts that we believe it will have on Australian small businesses.

Could I ask was there ever any consideration given to exempting small businesses. I note your comment that you believe there will be no change, but clearly the potential for change is there. That is an ambiguity and that is a potential unintended consequence of this bill.