Radical new laws that would give union officials unprecedented powers to interfere in the management of tens of thousands of Australian businesses will be forensically examined clause by clause. 

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Australia’s largest and most representative network, today thanked the Senate for rejecting a bid by the government to have the legislation rammed through by the end of next month. 

“The government has admitted that this legislation will drive up prices. It is entirely proper that the Senate carefully considers every word, every comma and every full stop in this legislation,” ACCI chief executive officer Andrew McKellar said. 

“The committee process will uncover the truth that this legislation has been designed with just one outcome in mind – to boost the dwindling influence and membership of the unions.” 

The government had proposed to force a Senate committee to deliver its report by October. 

“This attempt by the government to rush through these bad laws has been rightly thrown out,” Mr McKellar said. 

Five crossbenchers joined with the opposition to give the committee a mandate to deliver a more considered report by February 1 next year. 

“All fair-minded Australians are grateful to the opposition and crossbench senators Ralph Babet, Jacqui Lambie, David Pocock, Malcolm Roberts and Tammy Tyrrell, for voting with the opposition for appropriate scrutiny and integrity in government.”