The law firm behind a swathe of class actions challenging the alleged misclassification of casuals says it is taking advice from senior counsel on a High Court challenge to the Morrison Government's retrospective answer to multimillion-dollar permanent entitlements claims.
The Morrison Government has today pushed through the Senate a vastly reduced version of its much-hyped bid to overhaul the Fair Work Act, with changes to casual employment arrangements the only surviving element.
In the face of significant crossbench opposition, the Morrison Government has decided to only proceed with the IR Omnibus Bill's casual employment provisions, including a move to prevent so-called "double dipping" on entitlements.
In a blow to the Morrison Government's plans to overhaul the Fair Work Act, Centre Alliance Senator Stirling Griff says he will only support elements of the IR Omnibus Bill dealing with protections against wage theft and those that "provide certainty for casuals and their employers".
In an inquiry report released this afternoon, Coalition senators have acknowledged disquiet from employers and unions about elements of the Omnibus IR Bill, but are urging its passage without further amendment.
The ACTU's national executive today sought to close off the newly-established legislative mechanism the CFMMEU's mining and energy division is expected to exploit within weeks to break away from the rest of the union.