Statement on Workplace Relations Legislation Amendment Bill from Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn

3 June 2026

The introduction of the Workplace Relations Legislation Amendment Bill into Parliament raises serious concerns for the building and construction industry.

According to the accompanying Ministerial media release, the Bill would allow preferential treatment by the Federal Government towards businesses covered by enterprise agreements tendering for federally funded government works.

The potential exclusion of those legally operating under an industrial award including those providing above award conditions is fundamentally unfair particularly for small businesses operating in the building and construction industry, who make up 98 per cent of the industry and generally do not rely on an enterprise agreement.

Further, the enterprise agreement provisions in this Bill raise questions as to how it will apply with the Government’s previous statement of 1 May 2026 that as part of the proposed building industry standards, there is ‘no intention of requiring employers to enter an enterprise agreement covered by a registered employee organisation as a condition of receiving Commonwealth government funding in the construction industry’.

Master Builders Australia is calling for a clear building and construction carve-out from these provisions, consistent with the existing exemption for multi-employer bargaining and the Government’s commitments articulated on 1 May 2026.

We have consistently called for the Government’s approach to avoid replicating the ACT’s Secure Local Jobs Code or Queensland’s now-defunct Best Practice Industry Conditions, both of which have demonstrably hampered productive worksites and failed to deliver value for Australian taxpayers.

Media contact: Dylan Hafey, Media Advisor

0497 330 064 | dylan.hafey@masterbuilders.com.au