Who is favoured by changes to industrial relations laws
Q. Generally speaking, when Federal Liberal-National Coalition Governments make changes to industrial relations laws, do you think they tend to favour employers and businesses, employees or strike a balance between the two?
Total | Federal Voting Intention | ||||
Labor | TOTAL: Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||
The changes tend to favour employers and businesses | 52% | 64% | 41% | 71% | 53% |
The changes tend to favour employees | 17% | 14% | 19% | 16% | 18% |
The changes tend to strike a balance between the two | 31% | 22% | 40% | 13% | 29% |
Base (n) | 1,071 | 356 | 406 | 102 | 107 |
- Over half of people think changes made to industrial relations laws made by a Liberal-National government tend to favour businesses and employers (52%), while just 17% think they favour employees.
- Coalition voters are most likely to say changes made by a Coalition government strike a balance (40%), but 41% think changes favour businesses and 19% employees.
Expectations of outcomes from changes to industrial relations laws
Q. The Federal Government has announced new workplace reforms requiring employers to offer permanent employment to casual workers who have been with the same employer for a year and have had regular shifts for six months during that time.
Do you expect these changes to industrial relations laws will be good or bad for the following?
TOTAL:
Very good / Quite good |
Neither good nor bad | TOTAL:
Very bad / Quite bad |
Don’t know | |
Big businesses | 41% | 34% | 12% | 14% |
Small businesses | 35% | 33% | 19% | 12% |
Employees | 48% | 24% | 17% | 12% |
People looking for work | 39% | 28% | 20% | 13% |
People in casual work | 51% | 20% | 17% | 12% |
TOTAL: Very good / Quite good | Total | Federal Voting Intention | |||
Labor | TOTAL: Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||
Big businesses | 41% | 44% | 42% | 41% | 44% |
Small businesses | 35% | 40% | 39% | 30% | 34% |
Employees | 48% | 43% | 57% | 49% | 48% |
People looking for work | 39% | 39% | 42% | 37% | 37% |
People in casual work | 51% | 44% | 42% | 41% | 44% |
- The proposed changes to the industrial relations laws are expected to be good news for those in casual work (51% think the changes will be very good, or quite good), and employees (48%).
- It is expected that there will be less benefit to small businesses (35% think the changes will very or quite good) and those looking for work (39%) as a result of the changes.
Views towards changes to industrial relations laws and casual workers
Q. According to the Fair Work Commission, “A casual employee does not have a firm commitment in advance from an employer about how long they will be employed for, or the days (or hours) they will work. A casual employee also does not commit to all work an employer might offer. For example, an employee who works to a roster that could change each week and can refuse or swap shifts is casual.”
Which of the following is closer to your view?
Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | |||||||||
Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | TOTAL: Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||||
The law should be changed now to make it easier for casual workers to become permanent employees if they want to, so they have greater certainty in their lives | 57% | 56% | 59% | 52% | 57% | 62% | 59% | 56% | 55% | 67% | ||
Now is not the right time to make changes to the rules for casual workers, because economic uncertainty means there needs to be as much flexibility in the workplace as possible | 43% | 44% | 41% | 48% | 43% | 38% | 41% | 44% | 45% | 33% | ||
Base (n) | 1,071 | 539 | 532 | 339 | 374 | 358 | 356 | 406 | 102 | 107 | ||
- Views are split on whether this is the right time to change the industrial relations laws regarding casual workers. While the majority think the laws should be changed (57%), there is a sizeable minority (43%) who believe now is not the right time to make these changes.

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