The head of a major industry group has slammed Labor's next round of workplace reforms as a roadblock to productivity growth.
Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox took aim at the upcoming workplace relations changes, which include a pathway for casual workers to become permanent, during a speech on Wednesday.
Mr Willox said the word "productivity" was hardly mentioned in the government's language on industrial relations despite its role in pushing up wages and overall economic prosperity.
He said the government was focused on a "misguided workplace agenda" put together ahead of the 2021 election.
"Since then, COVID has deeply impacted business, supply chains were disrupted, costs have risen, labour shortages are rife, and more increases in energy prices are in the pipeline," he told the National Press Club.
He said workplace reforms as they stood were going to make Australia's much-needed productivity growth harder to achieve.
"We fear that much of what is on the table is actually anti-productivity," Mr Willox said.
Australia's sluggish productivity performance has been repeatedly flagged as a concern by outgoing Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe, as the central bank fends off high inflation.
Without a pick up in productivity growth from its lacklustre performance throughout the pandemic, the governor says the rate of wage growth could be a threat to tackling inflation.
Mr Willox acknowledged the task of lifting productivity was multifaceted, but in the workplace sphere, he recommended ironing out enterprise bargaining issues.
"Enterprise bargaining was a success, and we need to start making it less complex, taking out the technicalities, and making sure that only one person can't object to an agreement when it's been agreed to by thousands," he said.
Mr Willox also made a few other suggestions, including a more competitive corporate tax regime, reforming the GST, and better aligning skills and training with industry needs.
The details of the next tranche of workplace reforms have yet to be released but have already sparked concern from the business community.
As well as changes to casual employment, there are proposals around labour hire workers and the gig economy.
Draft legislation is expected to be introduced to parliament this year, and Mr Willox confirmed his organisation was already in talks with key crossbenchers in anticipation.
Commenting on the ongoing consultations, Mr Willox said tri-partisanship was noticeably absent.
"The missing link is getting employers and employee representatives and unions together," he said.
