Defend your rights to be your own boss.

"Leave us alone to run our own lives and businesses this country is all but communist "

"Labour is making it a complete minefield to employ anyone. Now every small business needs to hire professional companies such as employsure in order to comply with overly complex and in many cases nonsensical legislation. This is anti business which in turn is anti worker. Clearly labour is pushing the corporatisation of Australia as they continue to bastardise the legislation. I am watching great business people be destroyed through legal requirements which are becoming a barrier to employing people. Disgusting - there is no upside to this egislation at all!"

"We run a small business with ever growing overheads already due to rising costs of insurance, licensing, external HR to ensure all is legal because we simply can’t be accross all legislation ourselves, paired with cost of living pressure on ourselves as well as employees resulting in higher pays. Not to mention the relentless price rises over the last few years which have affected a lot of fixed price contracts which have resulted in 2 years of losses. We need a break as many do to get everything back on track. We make sure we do everything the right way yet somehow we are going to be required to do more? Rubbish legislation, I will never understand how anything can get put in front of parliament without showing how it will be utilised and implemented. "

"It’s already hard enough in our business, the exorbitant fees for workcover, public liability, incolink, long service etc etc, employees with no experience demanding the same pay as an employee with twenty or thirty years experience. Unions who think that extorting the small contractors is the way to go. The small tradies are pushed out and only the big conglomerates can survive. Sounds like a communist situation to me"

"These new laws will put too much pressure on small businesses "

"Here we go again ! The Labour party , public servants and the trade unions all trying to beat the crap out of the building industry at the expense of everyone else's rights . I employ 6 , all payed above the award and based on experience . ( Someone just out their time unable to read plans doesn't paid the same as someone that can ) In the private sector , we don't have the Tax payer's purse to just keep paying like the Government . "

"If this goes ahead we are failing as a country. I contract to builder and private clients I have been told if this goes ahead my large building client will shut up shop. If we allow the unions on residential sites it will be the beginning of the end. We are self employed because we can stand on our own to feet. We earn what we are worth because we do a good job and work hard . "

"The compliance, admin and risk involved in running a construction company is taking more and more time, this is just another time/cost increase that takes us away from actually doing productive work."

"Same job, same pay is a farce - experience count for nothing?"

"This bill will not only cripple an already unstable industry, it will prevent the the Australian population from having it's basic human needs of having housing, and cause massive unemployment. Australia is supposed to be the lucky land, where if you work hard, you can build a better future for yourself, your family, and the community around you. But the Australian government seems determined to make Australia the over regulated, over controlled, over taxed country. Basically an almost impossible country to live in."

"We are custom contract builders and are barely getting buy, by financing debt and hoping to repay. Extra costs and more overhead, less labour flexibility for more cost will probably kill this business."

"Stop the agenda against small businesses "

"Over 30years it's just getting to hard to employ individuals to much risks .the government expectations is unrealistic.it was said years ago that they want to get rid of subcontractors.because of tax and unions can't control then.as a country will be going back Ward's."

"Australia hasn’t got enough tradies now. We cannot have a fair say if we do not know what the changes are or will be in the future."

"There is already too much red tape in the construction process. Ronnie force small business to comply with over reach and invasive of government into our business. Enough is enough. labour leave small business alone it is the back none of country. Small business doesn’t need union thugs riding over every construction project. If the cost of living is high now wait to see what happen to the cost of construction if these laws are passed. "

"Difficult to understand how our business will survive in an already competitive market. We use specialist trades for our work but do not require them full time. "

"I would like to talk about how theses new laws would have a negativity impact, for example I need to be able to choose the hours and my clients too taking that away would make things really hard for us both, these laws are going to take away my flexibility for business as well, I need to be able to stay a contractor, these new laws are going to destroy that ."

"Why are Labor against small business?This useless Albo has done nothing to help Australia"

"Absolutely it will. We need flexibility within the construction industry as it’s unique in that it’s contract based and can be volatile. There are situations that constantly occur where by projects are delayed or stopped through no fault of the builder. If all workers within the builders team are forced to become employees of the builder, allowing for no flexibility for both the worker or the employer, this will be extreme pressure on employers in particular. This will obviously affect the decision of the builder in building up his team and hence taking on bigger projects or more projects. It also eliminates the ability for tradesman to be flexible with where they work and when, which has always been a huge part of being a qualified tradie. Many tradies (especially younger unmarried, child-free) love being able to Taylor their work arrangements around their needs and desires. This is the wonderful part of the building industry. These are just a couple of the reasons why these changes to construction employment requirements is a terrible idea!!!! Yours sincerely, Phill Greenow"

"I want to know every thing to do with my work who I chose to work for when and where I work and how much these changes will affect me."

"Increased red tape and costs will destroy the industry. Leave self employed small bussiness alone "

""Same job same pay" or anything of the like will destroy efficiency, productivity, and quality in the building industry. Removing the incentive to "do better", in all regards, will have an extremely negative impact on the entire industry. "

"It will immediately drive-up pricing significantly in the subcontract sector. Builders like myself with locked in contracts that run for 12 months or more will lose out significantly and bear the cost directly and disproportionally until substantially, , higher contract prices can be negotiated. Subcontractors will need to demand much higher "on the Books" Hourly rates to match a take home figure that is no longer supplemented by their own managed business costs and tax write offs for equipment, vehicles and fuel. Equal pay for equal work is a ridiculously blunt instrument to attempt to apply to an industry that has a complex pricing structure primarily market driven and based on "price per unit/ item produce accounts for a significant cost contingency "

"More builders are leaving the industry than ever before this will only drive more to do so - everything seems to benefit the Corporates. "

"We run a small to medium building business in Rural NSW there is a huge skill shortage throughout the country. We depend on alot of soul traders for our remote areas, these reforms would push them out of business and discourage them from working for businesses like us"

"I use independant contractors for about 50% of our installation work including garage door installers carpentry work electrical and painting etc Most are Sole traders or they own a pty Ltd company and employ themselves and take on their role providing a complete service start to finish including comsumabales vehicals labour and their expertise. Emolying people is simply unworkable especially in the building industry. We have some emplyeeded staff but the contract system provides flexibility productivity and freedom for the contractor to negotiate rates and receive rewards for their hard work. Its a natural process that speaks to the heart of indepentadnt thinking people who have goals and asperations to be their own boss and to be rewarded in a meanifull way for their service. David Bennett. "

"Same Job Same pay is a utterly ridiculous idea. To think that someone with lets say 15 years experience gets paid the same as someone with only 1 or 2 years is absurd. In my business we do use subcontractors at times when you get busy and other times when you are not busy you do not need them. This gives you a flexible workforce. But if these changes are introduced this will not be possible and it will become unaffordable to employ to many permanent employees as the construction industry can fluctuate a lot. It is easy to tell that the Government is so far out of touch with the reality of how small businesses work. "

"This is old school labour policy and they never stop trying to destroy independant small business they want to controll everyone and determine how we should live. this country survives on the back of small business and the government needs to be fairer in its decision making and be more upfront in mainstream media so the masses know what they are up to. they continue to use smoke and mirrors and blinding the hardworking small business owners and hardworking taxpayers by making incredibly crucial decisions behind closed doors and with little or no consultation. If it wasnt for the Master Builders Association keeping their finger on the pulse no one like me in small business would even know what they are proposing. This goes far beyond industrial relations it undermines the free society we all live in and takes away our democratic rights. All labour governments try to dictate to the masses on how we should work how much we should get paid and disguise it as if they are looking out for the small mums and dads businesses when they are doing the opposite. leave what works alone and find another way to cover your mis management of tax payers dollars. "

"With all the Construction Companies going broke how can they put even more Compliance issues on us?? This take man hours to meet their new standards which means paying people to do this . This is ludicrous "

"I’m from finland and they have very similar laws in place. These laws are destroying businesses and driving key players out of the country as it’s too hard and risky to run a busines with employees. Without successful businesses there are less job opportunities. This proposal will 100% make ordinary workers suffer."

"Same job same pay is ridiculous, no one will take on younger staff anymore. "

"We value our contractors and our business wouldn't be viable without them. We have just come out of years of lockdown and have worked hard to keep our business going. "

"I am working under my own ABN through Mable to support 5 clients within the disability and aged care sphere. I will be out of work if I am to be treated as an employee and they will all lose their support services as it will make it too costly for them. We are all happy with our existing arrangements. I do not need the government to interfere and destroy it."

"it will impact many industries i have associations with and family members personally as they are subcontractors"

"I have been doing this for a long time. I collect and pay GST. I pay personal tax. I have insurance. I have freedom to make my own choices especially work hours. Why should I be forced to do anything different. "

"The unions and work safe have already impacted my business. This we quietly seek smaller projects that do not bring attention. Recently we lost an 8 m government project purely because we weee non union . The price was lowest and they gave it to a union organised member at a higher price . "

"There is a role for temporary and casual staff as well as labour hire."

"Our children are all suffering from lack of time because both mum and dad need to work to oay the rent or mortgage, they are missing out on family education, to see and learn from mum and dad what family is, life skills, a moral compass to guide them through life. Being an independent contractor gives me the freedom to do these things and I don't miss out on seeing them turn into adults. These changes would be unconstitutional. Rules over the people to benefit just a few. I can't see how this new legislation could benefit anyone, even larger businesses able to absorb the initial cost of the change will be up against potential court cases to prove their innocence. Why change something that already works, I mean I understand the need to move forwards but this is not moving forwards for Australian business. It is becoming evident that this idea being debated among others is a move for power over the people not to make better conditions. Better conditions could start with a CPI pay raise perhaps tho I'm no economist, every month that goes by my power bill goes up, my groceries cost more, my house repayments go up, another person is late on over exsorbant rent because no one wants to lose out, it all winds up on the shoulders of lower income earners propping up those who have lost the virtues battle within their moral compass."

"Contractors and subbies typically operate from their homes meaning if they have areas set aside that pass the ATO's interest deductibility test i.e. they look and feel like a place of business and can't be readily adapted for private use (ATO Taxation Ruling: TR 93/30), then they will no longer be allowed to claim occupancy expenses in their tax returns (mortgage interest, water and council rates, building insurance and even building depreciation). This is because they would by then be deemed employees and as we know, employees cannot have their own place of business as they are not in business to start with. Taking this a step further, they'd also be unable to claim motor vehicle and other otherwise legitimate business deductions. As mere employees, their capacity to claim 'work related' expenses will be generally very limited by comparison. From a macro-economic perspective, it is always in the national interest that small business (Australia's largest business sector and significant contributor to GDP) and home business (a sub sector with over one million participants), does very well as that of itself affords the ability for participant families to better themselves and to spend back into the local, state and national communities. From an even longer-term perspective, retirement funding plans will change for many as super contributions begin to dry up due to what will undoubtedly be even harder times ahead and, this will burden future generations who will be charged to subsidise the living standards of today’s workers in their golden years. Effectively, these ill-conceived legislative proposals will directly affect net incomes in a way that I doubt anyone else has yet conceived of and at a time where it is most unaffordable to those masses. Many contractors will close their businesses as a result further making unemployment rise and with little hope of finding employment in their trade due to the increased cost to anyone who would take them on as such. Notwithstanding two landmark High Court cases in 2022 clarified the employee versus contactor matter, the proposals demonstrate little regard for the wisdom, integrity and independence of the revered third pillar i.e. the judiciary. All up, an utter debacle awaits on many fronts so much so, I would expect the current Federal Government not to survive massive voter backlash at the next general election. "

"We are to small to employ full time workers and this law would make it extremely difficult for us to continue to operate "

"Get rid of the Labour Goverment and unions otherwsie there wont be any smaller builders left and costs to build will go through the roof much more than they already have."

"There are too many changes we are drowning with all the changes"

"Speaking to my guys about this, they have all pretty much agreed that if this comes in they will leave the industry"

"Same job same pay is a ludicrous concept. Where is the incentive to reward good workers compared to bad workers? It is incredibly difficult to dismiss a bad employee as it is. Also from a payroll viewpoint it will introduce more confusion - as it is, the existing wage laws are already incredibly complex and beyond the capabilities of anyone who is not a Payroll/HR specialist. It is not practical to place sub-contractors under employee-type agreements. Leave sub-contractors (ie. small businesses) and their rights as they are please."

"I am a small Builder and Carpenter. I have seen a massive decline in people not being able to renovate and build in my circles due to the financial pressure of building in the current environment, so this new law, in my opinion, will only add to the stress of building or renovating for all that want to. Contracting is a great way of life for many people and gives freedom for more family life from what I've experienced. It allows me to help around home when needed most, and help look after my young boys when it's needed. It is what I was always happy doing as a sub contractor before I became a builder, and I know that it is the same for so many other tradies out there! "

"More regulations and redtape will slow building and deter more subcontractors and young builders from entering the industry you will also encourage experience Builders to retire early like myself"

"The implications as a Builder to "employ" subbies is huge. Time taken for reporting "

"There is too much red tape now that ties us down let alone creating more."

"Sick to death of government interference personally "

"This new proposed legislation will increase building cost and make it harder for builders and more expensive for the client."

"My family will be homeless if I can’t work for myself. I work long hours and work hard to be able to survive. Have for the last 6 years. "

"This will undermine the Building and construction industry. Same job same pay will kill our industry. Small businesses work for themselves for a reason, they don’t want work for larger employers. They choose to work their own hours and when they work. "

"I am a small independant contractor. I choose to be and have been successfully for over 25 years. My team mates are also contractors. We work together successfully and do a really good job at renovating and restoring some of Ballarat's beautiful period homes. We love it and we especially love the freedom we have to work the hours we wish and be responsible for our own destiny. Please leave it that way."

"Currently undergoing training for contractors course for plumbing. This makes me doubt whether the decision was the right one."

"Yes definitely. It will drive many out of the industry. The recent code changes are hard enough without this. "

"Working for myself has given me the flexibility with my family and time off needed with 3 kids under 7, and having the ability to work between multiple contractors to have access to better work and conditions "

"This is ridiculous, they cannot be serious. Everyone should have the right, if competent, to be able to work as a sub contractor and choose their hours as it takes time to get to a place where you can choose your hours. This angers me, as they are trying to control us and make things even harder than it already is. Post pandemic price rises, material shortages, delays on material, interest rates. What positive purpose does this serve other than trying to control us even more than they already do, absolutely ridiculous. Just let us do what we’re doing. Full time workers doesn’t always work for every business structure. Some building companies rely on sub contractors only, so it wouldn’t work. The construction industry will not go easy if they push this, have a look at what happened with the vaccine mandates. "

"I have been a contractor all my Life some 40 years if I am unable to continue with the present arrangements I will become a burned to society and will no longer be a significant contributor to our community !!"

"Not just small businesses but all businesses are facing the most challenging times in decades and we can't afford to take on anymore struggles.... business owners will end up just shutting the doors and walk away."

"The ability to employ sole traders and ABN holders in construction is vital to the survival of my Business. I cannot afford to the increased costs of permanent employees."

"Subcontracting helps people with flexibility to choose own hours and opportunity to earn an independant living!"

"This effects single parents and/or people who have side hustles or interest in other sectors etc.. Employees that wish to upskill and study on the side. Employment flexibility requirements are for single mums, fathers and carers alike. Small business keep employees because they have the ability to offer flexibility for employees for all changes in life, if they choose to. Employers and employees often help each other, especially in small communities. Relationships built over years."

"I hire a small team of carpenters and rely on sub contractors to cope with the ups and downs of the industry. "

"Enough is Enough of Government bullying small businesses. Australia is over-governed and over taxed. The construction industry is in serious disarray because of red-tape of building regulations and now the government wants to target sub-contractors. Be warned everyone, the Government is putting in place lots of systems to monitor your every move including removing cash from our society. "

"If this legislation is not stopped the toll on Australian citizens is really not able to be pre-determined as its so far-reaching, the realisation will come as we live it "

"We have had so many changes and turmoil in the Industry over the past 2 years, With minimal land planning holdups, changes to liveability, NCC changes, Energy rating, IR laws, most older tradies if they were not htinking of getting before this new reform I am sure they will pull the pin. Leaving Australia with a severe housing shortage and rental crisis. Cut all the red tape and let us build houses."

"we are a building company and it these changes were to go through, many people will loose there jobs because it is that ridiculous we would simply just close the doors."

"This is one of the worst possible things that can happen to the building and construction industry. We are a mum and dad residential builder almost in our mid fifties. We have been in business for nearly 30 years. We are currently facing a large number of daily challenges created by the Covid pandemic. From labour and material shortages to massive price hikes. Staying in business is extremely tough and stressful. If this legislation goes through we will simply have to shut shop. The implications and the red tape will no longer be manageable or even possible for a small business. I understand that whether our business continues or not will not have any impact on anything but if you multiply this by the thousands, I think that you will be faced by crisis that this country has never faced before. These views are shared by many other builders that we know and I know for a fact that business closures will become the norm with this new proposed lergislation. The government talks about a housing affordability crisis and a shortage of housing yet most of the problems that this country is facing is predominantly caused by the government and their policies. I just hope that the people responsible for bringing in this new legislation into place will be held 100% accountable when the construction industry becomes totally destroyed (this is the reality of this proposal). One other thing that I feel needs to be brought to attention is what this is doing to the mental health of the thousands of people directly affected by this. "

"This industrial relation change will suit the unions because the industry will be controlled by the them . " Back to the industrial disasters of the 80's " Strikes , Union thuggery and full control of the industry. I know from experience from running a business during the 80's and I would say that if those days come back ( which they will under these new laws ) I could not continue with my business. "

"This is absolutely terrible it will ruin my way of life "

"As the main income earner being a sole trader with a small business, all my time and investment is in my business, i cant pack up and work on something else, this is my life, blood sweat and tears"

"Most large building companies already have a small group of employees to carry out their trades, however to insist that sole traders and sub-contractors now become employees will impact on our business in a negative way. Our running costs will increase and then the on flow of that will be that the "client" will pay higher for their new home, alterations and additions etc. This would only add fuel to the inflation fire. We would also see a sharp rise in mental health an area that is already showing concern, why would we add this worry to the industry."

"I am a recently qualified carpenter working as a sub contractor trying to get my business going and provide for myself, these laws will make me have to start back from square one and lose all the freedoms I’ve worked to get"

"Trying to give the unions control, I have been personally told by QLD CFMEU secretary that they hate self employed as they can not control our pay, hours etc."

"This has been tried before and the only reason it is back again is because the Labor Government sees an opportunity to give more power to the unions which is dwindling and they believe they now have carte blanch between state and federal power to control an individual's rights. This of course is not only limited to the building industry but is a blatant attempt to wipe out subcontractors and gain power and it is why Australians and in particular West Australians should never give an individual Government autonomous control, there needs to always be a minimum of 2 parties who can represent all industry focus to ensure fair and equitable debate in all cases and not one bias."

"This will have huge impacts on the small businesses who can't afford to directly employ their contractors. This was tried before by the Hawke Labour Govt back in the early 80's when they tried to force contract draftsmen, engineers, architects and air conditioning contractors to become staff members of large companies. Their problem then was that the single largest employer of contract labour was the ATO and when this was pointed out to the Govt the problem mysteriously went away until now !!!! "

"Why indeed, the construction industry is tough as it is, are we returning to the dragooning days of the Builders Labourer Federation if so YES this new industrial relations change will negatively effect my ability to make a living"

"These new laws are not suitable for running a business in Australia "

"Yes I am a builder and we hire a lot of subcontractors across all the different trades in the construction industry. We have had the conversation with many about their preference to stay self employed or be employed and majority like their freedom to o run their own businesses as sole traders or independent companies. This suits the needs of the principle contractor and sub contractors and doesn’t need government intervention. It works and people are happy within the industry with how it works. It is another case of the white collar workers passing legislation on a field they don’t understand deeply enough to pass ruling on. The construction industry has copped plenty of that oflvrr the years"

"We shouldn't have our rights taken from us, some people need the flexibility of being self employed for various reasons. Not only that but not everyone can start a business in a partnership or PTY LTD, some of the most successful business people I know started as sole traders, We work our way up to bigger business structures which also allows others more jobs and offers more individuals opportunities to become skilled in a trade. With the Australia wide trade shortage this is not only a bad move for other industries, but especially ours."

"This is not for the building industry we need independent contractors If it goes ahead it will have a Magee impact for us ! "

"This would be one of the worst decisions ever made. The entire building industry would collapse. Small business "

"THis is a ridiculous idea No Contractors no construction "

"This government proposal is going towards communism"

"This will have huge impacts on the small businesses who can't afford to directly employ their contractors"

"Sub contractors are the backbone of the industry. Removing them from the bulding process will have a devastating impact. "

"This would be a sad day for our industry if this unfolds.....People need to have their own choice "

"this will bring the construction industry to its knees."

"Sub contractors should be allowed why would this change it will disadvantage a lot of subies to work independently "

"I use Subcontractors for my work out i use contractors that are companies Pty Ltd "

"Yes I feel I have more control over my finances"

"We need a BOSS to manage people and skill them. Most bosses are contractors/sub contractors, they are leaders, they are trainers, and they make their living knowing they have others to pay. Dont take that right away. We need, discipline, more so now than anytime that I have been in business. Taking the boss/contractor/subcontractor rights away will cripple the building industry "

"One solution does not fit all"

"The loss of independent contractors would make it impossible for us to continue our business We are not large enough to employ people full time. It would increase our cost to the point where we would become uncompetitive "

"As a small business employer we would struggle to pay all the extra expenses re:- Workers Compensation, PAYG, Superannuation and all that comes with having employees. It would destroy our industry."

"This will affect business on the border towns . We have too many changes in the building industry at the moment NCC changes, Livability, Energy rating, subcontract registering. The building trade is very tough at the moment. The price of housing is going up daily. This is not good for our younger generation"

"This industry has worked successfully this way for decades with Subcontracting trades, without government intervention. If trades didnt like the conditions they dont have to work for that Customer. Tech has solved the accounting/tax discrepancy issues previously used as the reason to stamp out subcontracting. The ATO has all the information at its fingertips. Trades need to move with the projects and between builders seemlessly. Its impossible for Builders to employ the whole suite of trades to complete a project. The cost increases to the end consumer will see many projects shelved for years. The lack of available trades will further become a supply issue for the industry."

"I have been a builder for the last 40 years and the role of subcontractors is an essential part of how the residfential building industry functions. Thus keep cost down for the consumers. Without independent subcontractors it will lead to increased building prices, Monopolistic construction companies taking over as can be seen on our public sector work with greatly inflated pricing. Everyone should have the opportunity to work for themselves to independently if they so choose."

"These people have chosen to work as independent contractors for a reason. It’s about choice... this is the lifestyle he wants to work in."

"People who make their own arrangements may have that freedom taken away. At the moment they have choice and they can choose to take home more money."

"‘I can only see this crippling some of the smaller builders as they [try to] implement it. And when you reduce the supply of tradespeople to do the work, costs will go up and it will slow things down as well. "

"Each industry must be looked at independently."

"There’ll be a lot of pissed of tradies – they like their freedom and not to be tied to a builder... they can do what they like."

"Contracting is run by the weather and if you’re paying people and there’s no work, that’s hard."

"What this bill is saying is technically they need to roll into small mum-and-dad businesses and become an employee. It’s a burden for small business. They don’t want the red tape, they don’t want the hassles. To culturally change that overnight, even if it was accepted, it would stop our industry, absolutely."

"‘Same job, same pay’ will take away any incentive to actually work hard. This is a terrible idea for workers and their employers."