Member of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, Semi Koroilavesau, has acknowledged a clear gap between discussions held at the Employment Relations Advisory Board and what ultimately appeared in the draft Employment Relations Bill.
Mr Koroilavesau said consultations with various institutions and government agencies revealed a general consensus on concerns raised about the Bill, many of which were already understood by officials.
He made the comments at the Committee hearing held yesterday.
“There seems to be a gap between the discussions that took place at the Employment Relations Advisory Board and what appeared in the document that we have,” he said.
He said the committee has conducted extensive consultations with the Ministry of Employment, as well as the Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Finance and the Public Service Commission, describing the Bill as more complex than initially anticipated.
Mr Koroilavesau said recent discussions confirmed that issues raised by companies and institutions were recognised by government agencies, but were not adequately reflected in the draft legislation.
The committee, he said, is now taking a serious look at how to bridge that gap to ensure all stakeholder views are properly captured.
“We want to make sure that every agency and everybody concerned is reflected in the final Bill that we present to Parliament,” he said.
The Standing Committee on Economic Affairs continues to receive submissions as part of its review of the Employment Relations Bill.
