Fed: Ruddock says Labor IR plan unconstitutional

AAP General News (Australia)
04-27-2007
Fed: Ruddock says Labor IR plan unconstitutional

Federal Attorney-general PHILIP RUDDOCK .. says Labor's one stop shop workplace relations
plan is likely to be illegal .. because it includes both administrative and judicial functions.

Mr RUDDOCK says that seems to infringe the 1956 High Court Boilermakers case .. in
which the court ruled it's unconstitutional for a single body to handle both judicial
matters .. and settle industrial relations disputes.

That resulted in the creation of the industrial court.

However Mr RUDDOCK has told ABC Radio .. he can't reach a final verdict on the Fair
Work Australia proposal without first seeing the legislation.

AAP RTV mb/af/rt

KEYWORD: WORKPLACE RUDDOCK (CANBERRA)

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