View the report - Tasmanian Department of Justice

ecause they can better balance work and family
responsibilities. 29
68. The Prime Minister’s description of the “new breed of enterprise
workers” in contemporary workplaces is interesting. According to
the ILO definition of “enterprise” as “a locus of productivity”, it might
refer to an organisation or a single unit – a company or an
individual – a small, medium or large enterprise. 30
Used in the
context of the Prime Minister’ speech, the term would include selfemployed
individuals, contractors or sub-contractors, on-hire
employees and casual employees identified earlier as belonging to
the category of precarious employment. Because the PM indicates
that “most are traditional employees”, the term would therefore
describe any worker who today might be engaged under
individually negotiated workplace agreements or individual
contracts.
69. “Enterprise” captures an attitude or state of mind, describing
“boldness or readiness in undertaking, adventurous spirit, or
energy”. 31
Used this way the term expresses the idea of individuals
breaking new ground, taking risks (a “new breed” – as described by
the PM).
29 The Hon John Howard, PM., Address to the Sydney Institute, “Workplace Relations
Reform: The Next Logical Step”, Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney, 11 July 2005. As retrieved
August 2006 from the Prime Minister’s Speeches at
www.pm.gov.au/news/speeches/speech1455.html.
30 United Nations International Labour Organisation (March, 2006) Committee on Employment
and Social Policy, 5 th Session, Agenda Paper 29; “Occupational safety and health: Synergies
between security and productivity”. (Geneva: Switzerland); p. 2.
31 The Concise Macquarie Dictionary (1982)
46