The Federal Government's industrial relations bill has passed the lower house of Parliament. 

The Secure Jobs, Better Pay bill has made its expected passage through the House of Representatives. It will now go to a contentious Senate, where the government will be fighting for crossbench support. 

Employment and Workplace Relations Minister, Tony Burke, addressed childcare workers outside the Parliament following the bill's passage.

“So much of this started with yourselves. And you know, you had been left behind in bargaining, and you had provided the example particularly in Victoria of saying that feminised industries can still if they work together… find ways to get better pay,” he said. 

The federal opposition remains opposed to the legislation.

LNP MP Paul Fletcher told Parliament the bill risks returning Australia to the 1970s, with widespread union strikes and an unproductive economy.

“This is a very bad bill,” he said. 

“Taking the Australian economy and our community backwards. Extraordinarily you would have thought it was hard to achieve but extraordinarily the amendments make a bad situation worse and the Opposition will be opposing the amendments as we opposed the bill.”

Crossbenchers had tried to move amendments on the bill's most controversial aspect; multi-employer bargaining.

Labor did not judge on this provision, and the bill ultimately passed, 80 votes to 56. 

Similar attempts at amendment are expected to be made when the bill reaches the Senate.