So, not so long ago there was a topic on here about penalty rates. More specifically here it was all about the abolition of penalty rates, although the actual issue was making Sunday the same as Saturday for award recipients in accordance with the recommendation from the Productivity Commission.

I thought the title was "Those Pesky Penalty Rates" but I can't find it now so I'll start again from fresh.


In that previous topic it was claimed by some that a Coalition government would reduce penalty rates and that a Labour government would protect penalty rates. Despite the discussion was started by the independent productivity commission in a submission to the independent Fair Work Commission.

I pointed out that neither party in government can change penalty rates unless they change the law (which would be highly unlikely from either major party) as penalty rates are set by the independent Fair Work Commission, based on submissions form anyone who wants to make one.


The response was to say that if I believed that rubbish, and that the government of the day can't influence the decision to get what it wants, then I am a sucker.

Well - we see today Mr Shorten and the shadow employment minister confirm Fair Work sets the rates and not the government. That Labour in government can't protect the rates any more than the Coalition can.

We see today the Greens confirm that they would change to law to retain the rates as that is the only way the government can directly set them.

We see today the Coalition reaffirm their original position that it has got nothing to do with them other than making a submission to Fair Work.

So .. am I still a sucker ?

It seems penalty rates are indeed pesky. Pesky political problems. Pesky political problems when they have nothing to do with politics.