AUSTRALIANS on low incomes and weekend workers could soon find their take-home pay cut, unions and the Labor politicians have warned.

The Abbott Government will launch a comprehensive, “once-in-a-generation” inquiry into Australia’s workplace relations system, which will look at issues including the need for a minimum wage and penalty rates.

The Productivity Commission has commenced a root and branch review into the politically charged topic of industrial relations, which will examine everything from foreign workers, to penalty rates, minimum wage levels in Australia and unfair dismissal.

The review — accidentally published on the Commission’s website this afternoon and tweeted by two Labor MP’s this afternoon, despite an embargo — this year is set to ignite fresh debate about workplace relations policy ahead of the next federal election.

Federal Employment Minister Eric Abetz said any recommendations from the Commission’s final report will be taken to the next federal election. Unions have already vowed to revive their WorkChoices campaign, which contributed to the demise of the Howard Government in 2007.

Is this the blue print for Tony Abbott’s revival of Workchoices? http://t.co/Sctm7yBm2O #auspol — Brendan O'Connor (@BOConnorMP) January 22, 2015

The Productivity Commission is looking at our workplace laws - this must be about fairness, not boosting inequality http://t.co/1Eo8Mjar8V — Andrew Giles MP (@andrewjgiles) January 22, 2015

Productivity Commission chairman Peter Harris described the inquiry as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity”.

The Commission will probe all safety nets available to workers, including awards, employee standards and the minimum wage to determine whether each continues to retain a strong individual purpose, or whether there is duplication.

It’s asking for submissions on questions ranging from; what is the rationale for a minimum wage, how effective is it, what would be the best process for setting a minimum wage and whether it should vary between states or territories or regions.

The minimum wage is currently $16.87 per hour or $33,300 for full time annual earnings and covers about 1.5 million low paid workers in industries like cleaning and hospitality.

The commission will also look at the issue of foreign labour and 457 visas to determine whether the current industrial relations system drives businesses to hire foreigners.

The hotly contested issue of penalty rates and their impact on productivity will also be reviewed.

The public is being invited to provide feedback to the Commission in the form of comments and submissions before 13 March.