Expanded Jurisdiction for Contract Agreements Under Chapter 6
Industrial Relations Amendment (Transport Sector Gig Workers and Others) Bill 2025
Legislative Assembly
Legislative Council
Assent
Introduced by: The Hon Sophie Cotsis MP (ALP); The Hon Daniel Mookhey MLC (ALP)
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
The Debate
What different members said when this bill was debated:
Damien Tudehope LIB
“I speak in debate on the Industrial Relations Amendment (Transport Sector Gig Workers and Others) Bill 2025. I begin by reflecting on my early years as a lawyer.”
Mark Banasiak SFFP
“I speak for the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party in support of the Industrial Relations Amendment (Transport Sector Gig Workers and Others) Bill 2025. It is an issue that directly impacts the hardworking men and women who are the lifeblood of our economy: our transport workers and small business owners. The issues that the bill addresses have been well ventilated.”
John Graham ALP
“I support the Industrial Relations Amendment (Transport Sector Gig Workers and Others) Bill 2025 in my role as Minister for Transport and as the former Minister for Roads. Road transport jobs are tough jobs filled by people who are working hard. The truth is road transport is Australia’s deadliest industry. There are, across the continent, hundreds of truck-related crashes and deaths of drivers.”
Sarah Kaine ALP
“It is with great pride that I contribute to debate on the Industrial Relations Amendment (Transport Sector Gig Workers and Others) Bill 2025.”
John Ruddick LIBT
“The Libertarian Party opposes the Industrial Relations Amendment (Transport Sector Gig Workers and Others) Bill 2025. We will not be moving any amendments to the bill as we do not see how it can be salvaged. It is an unnecessary and harmful duplication of Federal legislation that also should not exist.”
Abigail Boyd GRN
“As The Greens’ industrial relations and work health and safety spokesperson, I indicate our support for the bill, which will modernise chapter 6 of the Industrial Relations Act 1996. The bill has been a long time coming. I acknowledge and congratulate members of the Transport Workers’ Union. A number of its members are in the gallery today to witness the passage of the bill through the Parliament.”
Mark Buttigieg ALP
“Madam Deputy President Kaine, I start my contribution by acknowledging your investment in the Industrial Relations Amendment (Transport Sector Gig Workers and Others) Bill 2025.”
Mark Latham IND
“I support the Industrial Relations Amendment (Transport Sector Gig Workers and Others) Bill 2025 on the foundation that it is the least worst option available to the House and a leap of faith in saying that we trust the Treasurer—and it takes some faith to do that. Having completed an economics degree way back when, I struggle with the new concepts. The care economy?”
Cameron Murphy ALP
“I support the Industrial Relations Amendment (Transport Sector Gig Workers and Others) Bill 2025. It is an important and necessary bill, despite what the Opposition said about it. For the sake of brevity, I will not go through the elements that have already been ably put to the House by the Hon. Dr Sarah Kaine, the Hon. Mark Banasiak and the Hon. Mark Latham.”
Daniel Mookhey ALP
“I take this opportunity to thank all members who contributed in this lengthy debate on the Industrial Relations Amendment (Transport Sector Gig Workers and Others) Bill 2025. I thank the Hon. Damien Tudehope, the Hon. Mark Banasiak, the Hon. John Graham, the Hon. Dr Sarah Kaine, the Hon. John Ruddick, Ms Abigail Boyd, the Hon. Mark Buttigieg, the Hon.”
News articles and press releases
Industrial Relations Amendment (Transport Sector Gig Workers and Others) Bill 2025
Ms SOPHIE COTSIS, Minister for Industrial Relations — 2025-03-20
Schedule 1 [8] to the bill creates a mechanism to include transport gig workers under the Act. Schedule 1 [8] does this by providing that a contract that is one for the transportation of goods and persons, or both, is taken to be a contract of carriage if the particular contract is arranged or facilitated through a digital labour platform or booking service. The bill sets a definition of a digital labour platform. These new provisions do not apply to or affect a contract of bailment in the taxi industry. The new categories of workers that will be covered under chapter 6 will be able to access the safety net provided by contract determinations. Schedule 1 [9] amends section 313 of the Act to provide a broader and non-exhaustive list of considerations the commission must consider when making a contract determination in respect to contracts of carriage.