In his first speech to the National Press Club since taking on the ministry, Murray Watt will on Wednesday dismiss claims that government changes to industrial relations have brought widespread disruption across industries.
Several months after reforms allowing multi-employer bargaining and closing loopholes for labour hire workers came into effect, Senator Watt said alarmist fears over the changes have not come to pass.
"Could it be that Labor's approach, encouraging co-operation, is delivering more industrial peace, rather than the conflict some say is coming to 'every workplace in Australia"?" he will say in the speech.
"I'm not pretending that economic conditions aren't difficult right now. But the facts don't support the predictions of doom that accompanied our reforms, not the inflammatory descriptions of what's happening right now.
"I hate to disappoint the fearmongers, but there is no evidence the economy has collapsed due to our workplaces (reforms)."
The speech comes after opposition finance spokeswoman Jane Hume said the coalition would look at reviewing the workplace changes should it win government at the next election.
Liberal senator Jane Hume has flagged a review of the laws. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)
Senator Hume said laws allowing for casual workers to progress more easily to part-time or full-time worker, as well as reform for employees to disconnect from their job out of hours also needed to be looked at.
"The right to disconnect laws will need to be considered because quite frankly this is stuff to be negotiated between an employee and employer," she said on Sunday.
"These are unnecessary laws adding more complexity to our system."
Senator Watt will use the major address to highlight the industrial relations changes have brought pay rises to multiple sectors.
He will warn a change of government would risk undoing progress for workers.
"There are some who continue to run scare campaigns about the impact of our changes on employers or the Australian economy," he will say.
"(The opposition) are the same people ... who claimed our changes would 'close down Australia' or take us back to 'the dark ages'.
"Well, Australia looks pretty open to me, and I haven't seen anyone dressed in chain mail, wheeling catapults down Northbourne Avenue anytime lately."
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