Issues & Policy

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IR Inquiry Terms of Reference

The aim of this Inquiry is to advise the NSW Government how a fair and harmonised national industrial relations system that appropriately balances the interests of employees and employers could be put in place, in partnership between the

Commonwealth and the state of New South Wales. Specifically, the Inquiry will:

1. Identify principles which would underpin a harmonised national industrial relations system which would operate within a framework of cooperative federalism
   
   
2. Consider the range of options for achieving such a harmonised national industrial relations system
   
   
3. Recommend the optimum model for NSW
   
   
4. Develop an implementation strategy for the optimum model, including recommendations as to:

a.  the time-frame

b.  any legislative or institutional changes that would be required to give effect to it and

c.  appropriate governance arrangements to ensure ongoing cooperation between the jurisdictions to maintain the new system.

In undertaking its activities, the Inquiry is encouraged to:

1. take account of past and present cooperative federal schemes in a variety of subject areas, as well as any other available Australian or international proposals for such schemes
   
   
2. consider how such schemes might be adapted to suit the unique characteristics of industrial relations
   
   
3. familiarise itself with both the existing and any proposed federal industrial relations systems, and consider the utility of the recommended model in each of those contexts.