Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Hansard source

I place on the record the government’s acknowledgement of Senator Fielding’s genuine concern for the role of independents and small business in this industry. We believe that these reforms will enhance the position of independents and small retailers in this industry and believe that the Oilcode, which has been worked up over many years and in full cooperation with the Motor Trades Association and others involved in this industry, is specifically aimed at ensuring they are able to continue to participate in this important industry. We have outlined our position with respect to the collective bargaining issue. That is part of our package of proposals, under the so-called Dawson reforms, which we have prepared and are looking forward to debating in this place.

However, as I have said before in relation to this matter, those amendments are more appropriately dealt with holistically in relation to the Trade Practices Act as a whole and not in relation to the repeal of these two antiquated and now redundant pieces of legislation. We believe that the parliament should be supporting the repeal of those two acts and the introduction of this Oilcode; it should be dealing with that matter and that matter alone. In due course, we will give the parliament the opportunity to have its say on the issue, generally speaking, of collective bargaining within the Trade Practices Act.