The coalition’s costly obsession with individual workplace agreements

Prior to 2005 only 2.4% of the Australian workforce were covered by AWAs, but the rate of uptake doubled after the Workchoices amendments which have now been completely taken off the table.

So why hang an election on individual statutory contracts when they are more pressing industrial relations issues to pursue?

The answer might be one of simple philosophy; there are those in the Liberal party who stick to their individualist guns no matter what the practical or political outcomes.

In any event, it is hard to imagine the Coalition returning to power without bringing back AWA’s by another name.

But it should be remembered individual statutory contracts were uncontroversial before Workchoices and IFA’s remain relatively dispute-free.