Rules preventing employers from paying labour hire workers at a lower rate than direct employees are set to endure after Peter Dutton ruled out repealing the contentious laws.
The 'same job, same pay' laws have been slammed by mining companies, which claim they are unfair and make it more costly to do business.
The coalition has vowed to review industrial relations laws introduced by the Albanese government, but the opposition leader ruled out repealing 'same job, same pay' when questioned at a press conference in Perth on Thursday.
"You have raised a lot of concerns about IR policy including 'same job, same pay'. Would you repeal it?" the journalist asked.
"We're not going to," Mr Dutton replied.
Instead, the coalition has narrowed its focus to cracking down on unions, specifically the militant CFMEU construction union which faces accusations of corruption and organised crime links.
"We've said right from the start, the big difference on industrial relations policy at the next election between us and the Labor party will be that we're going to de-register the CFMEU," Mr Dutton said.
Andrew Stewart, one of Australia's foremost industrial relations experts, said he wasn't surprised the coalition was avoiding the issue of workplace reform.
"From a political perspective, it also avoids the opposition being seen as just the party for the big miners," Professor Stewart told AAP.
"We came into this election campaign waiting to see if we would get an industrial relations policy from the opposition, and what seems to be happening is, if anything, they're walking back from the relatively small number of changes they've flagged."
Miners such as BHP have fought 'same job, same pay' laws ferociously in advertising campaigns and the industrial relations tribunal.
Minerals Council of Australia chief executive Tania Constable did not respond to Mr Dutton's comments directly, but indicated the mining lobby would continue to fight the laws.
"The federal government's industrial relations measures are detrimental to all businesses and the Minerals Council will not stop advocating until they are changed," Ms Constable said in a statement.
With both major parties ruling out changes to the laws, the Fair Work Commission appeared to be the last remaining avenue for miners to avoid the changes, Prof Stewart said.
"Even if the opposition were to take office, we're probably looking at another period of minimal change (to workplace laws)," he said.
Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt was sceptical of Mr Dutton's pledge not to touch 'same job, same pay'.
"If you believe Peter Dutton on 'same job, same pay', I've got a mine shaft to sell you," he told reporters at a mining union conference in the NSW Hunter Valley.
"They're on the record saying they're going to get rid of them. That's what they'll do."
