Industrial Relations: Advice, Policy, Compliance

About NSW Industrial Relations

NSW IR promotes compliance with industrial legislation by:

• providing information, advice and assistance relating to industrial entitlements
• undertaking industrial inspections and industry targeted campaigns
• where necessary, prosecuting breaches of industrial law.

NSW IR promotes workplace reform in NSW by:

• advising employers, workers and unions on workplace reform issues
• providing practical training on how to introduce implement and maintain workplace reform initiatives
• publishing and distributing information that promotes best practice principles.

NSW IR leads industrial relations reform in the NSW public sector by:

• providing innovative and principles based direction on industrial relations matters 
• proactively developing and promoting best practice across the sector.

We also actively participate as a partner in the Commonwealth’s national workplace relations framework.

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Industrial Relations Taskforce

On 5 June the Minister for Industrial Relations (the Hon Sophie Cotsis) and the Treasurer (the Hon Daniel Mookhey) announced the establishment of an Industrial Relations Taskforce.

The taskforce will conduct its work with a view to:

• Adding a new, more consultative interest based bargaining stream to allow frontline workers and their representatives to engage with Government agencies to identify savings and productivity gains in exchange for pay increases;
• Ensuring the Industrial Relations Commission is independent, properly resourced and with real powers to prevent and settle industrial disputes;
• Review the scope of the commission to address and resolve work health and safety issues or related workplace matters within the state jurisdiction.

The Government has appointed Anna Booth, former Deputy President of the Fair Work Commission and Roger Boland, former President of the Industrial Relations Commission and judge of the Industrial Court of NSW.

Industrial Relations Taskforce Media Release (PDF, 127 KB)

Industrial Relations Taskforce Terms of Reference (PDF, 181 KB)

If you wish to contact the IR Taskforce, please email [email protected]

NSW Industrial Relations Inspectorate Prosecution Newsroom

A Taxi Owner was prosecuted for failing to keep three different types of records required to be kept by bailors. The bailor pleaded guilty to failing to keep three different types of records required to be kept by an industrial instrument. The Bailor was fined $600 for each of the three failures, totalling $1800.

If you wish to know more about NSW Industrial Relations prosecution outcomes, visit our dedicated Prosecution Outcomes page.

Building and Construction Guidelines

Industrial Relations Minister Sophie Cotsis has halted the former Coalition Government’s paused review of Industrial Relations Guidelines: Building and Construction Procurement.

The NSW Government will continue to engage with industry, unions and across government to ensure procurement guidelines are modernised and fit for purpose.

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