On 19 May, the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption released a Discussion Paper on Options for Law Reform. The paper raises a number of possible law reform proposals for debate, centring upon the key issues of the adequacy of both the enforcement of existing laws; and that of the existing laws themselves.

Key areas of potential law reform outlined in the paper include:

• Re-establishment of the ABCC
• Greater oversight for Employee Benefit  funds – e.g. redundancy funds
• Moving on powers for police
• Greater penalties for secondary boycotts
• RICO powers.

Submissions on the issues raised in the Discussion Paper (and any other law reform issues) are due by 21 August. The submission will be the major focus of the next National Industrial Relations Advisory Committee (NIRAC) meeting in Adelaide in early August, and will draw upon Master Builders major submission made to the Commission in July last year.