2018

Relocation Details

21 December 2018

The industrial Relations Commission is currently relocating to Parramatta over the Christmas break.

Registry address is: level 10, 10-14 Smith Street Parramatta 2150.

Postal address is: PO Box 927 Parramatta 2124.

Registry phone number is: 8688 3516.

Christmas Closure and Relocation Dates 

Issue date: Thursday 8 November 2018

The Industrial Relations Commission will close at 1 pm on Friday 21 December 2018 and reopen at our new premises at level 10, 10-14 Smith Street Parramatta at 9am on Thursday 10 January 2019. 

For urgent matters the Commission provides an after hours contact service: 

• for those parties who have a serious industrial dispute which cannot wait
• when parties have initiated strike action and the urgent intervention of the Commission is required. 

​After hours emergency: 0401 142 429.

Further Details including phone and postal details for the new premises will be released shortly.

Section 19 Award Review 2018

12 October 2018

The Commission is c​​ommencing the 2018 Award Review process as prescribed by Section 19 of the Industrial Relations Act 1996.

To facilitate this process the Commission has issued Practice Note No. 13 which provides the procedures for parties to the Award Review process.

For all current awards in the list of awards to be reviewed in 2018, the process that the Registry has followed is:

• Notices of Award Review have been issued to the parties to the awards eligible for review.
• A Notice of Award Review for each award is available electronically on the NSW Industrial Relations website via the link​s on the list of awards to be reviewed.
• A copy of Practice Note No. 13 is attached to each Notice.
• Awards have been listed for call-over at the date, time and place specified on the Notice and on the list.
• The call-over dates are set for four days: 5, 7, 8 and 9 November 2018.

In brief, Practice Note No. 13 requires the parties to:

• file and se​rve on all other parties a list of all changes proposed to the Award
• this should be a list of all specific changes except where substantial changes are proposed. Where substantial changes are proposed the list may refer to the subject areas of change.
• this includes a situation where it is considered that the award is obsolete and should be rescinded.
• file a No​​tice of Appearance. (DOC, 40.5 KB)

[the above steps have to be taken at least one week before the call-over date]

• confer with all other parties o​n any proposed changes prior to the call-over date so that all parties are in a position to advise at call-over.

[this should occur no later than during the week before the call-over date]

What will happen ​​at call-over?

• wh​​​ere there are no issues or matters that require attention in respect​​ of the Award the matter will be marked as 'Award Reviewed' [proceedings finalised]
• whe​re the Award is obsolete the matter will be marked 'Award Obsolete' [proceedings finalised]
• ​where there are issues or matters that require attention in respect of the A​​ward such directions as are necessary will be made and the file will be either retained or referred to another Member of the Commission for finalisation.

The Commission expects that all parties to the Award Review Process will comply with Practice Note No. 13 and thereby ensure that at the call-overs any issues are clearly identified to facilitate future proceedings. 

The principles of the Award Review process have been defined by the Full Bench of the Commission in Principles for Review of Awards - State Decision 1998 and Poultry Industry Preparation (State) Award and Other Awards, Re [2003].

Annual Report 2017

4 October 2018

Following the tabling of the annual report for 2017 with the State Government, the Annual Report is now available from the Annual Reports page of this website.

Appeal blocks for 2019

13 September 2018

Chief Commissioner Kite as designated the following periods as appeal blocks for 2019.

• 4 March
• 3 June
• 2 September
• 11 November.

Ceasing use of DX 874 Sydney

24 August 2018

As of Friday 31 August 2018 the Industrial Relations Commission will cease using the DX (874 Sydney) as a contact method. 

All documents and correspondence should be forwarded to our postal address; GPO Box 3670 Sydney 2001.

Ceremonial Sitting of the Industrial Relations Commission.

8 August 2018

The Chief Commissioner and Commissioners of the Industrial Relations Commission welcome Commissioner Constant and Commissioner Sloan to the Commission. 

There will be a ceremonial sitting and welcome to Commissioner Constant and Commissioner Sloan on Monday 20 August 2018 at 9:15am in hearing room 2.1 at the Bridge Street premises  of the Industrial Relations Commission.

Notice of Cancellation of the Registration of the Motor Inn, Motel and Accommodation Association of New South Wales under the Industrial Relations Act 1996

13 July 2018

Take notice: on 19 June 2018 His Honour Justice Davies of the Supreme Court of New South Wales cancelled the registration of the Motor Inn, Motel and Accommodation Association of New South Wales as a State industrial organisation of employers.

IRC fee increase to be implemented

29 June 2018

From 1 July 2018 the fees for applications and miscellaneous items will be increased in line with the Industrial Relations (General) Amendment (Fees) Regulation 2017.

• Industrial Relations (General) Amendment (Fees) Regulation 2018.

Remuneration limit for Unfair Dismissal cases increased

29 June 2018

From 1 July 2018 the renumeration limit for unfair dismissal applications has been raised to $145,400.

Appointment to the Clothing Trades (State) Industrial Committee

28 June 2018

Under schedule 3 (6) of the Industrial Relations Act 1996 Ms Zoe McQuillan is appointed as member of the Clothing Trades (State) Industrial Committee.

State Wage Case and Review of the Principles for Approval of Enterprise Agreements

27 June 2018

The State Wage case and a Review of the Principles for Approval of Enterprise Agreements pursuant to s33(3) of the Industrial Relations Act is to be listed on 6 July 2018 at 9.30am for directions.

All interested parties should attend and submit a notice of appearance for each of the matters.

Appointment of New Commissioners

22 June 2018

The Industrial Relations Commission welcomes the appointments of Commissioner Nichola Constant and Commissioner Damian Sloan. 

Commissioner Constant will commence on Monday 23 July 2018 and Commissioner Sloan will commence on Monday 30 July 2018.

Commissioner Constant joins us with a wealth of experience as Director of the employment law and industrial relations practice group of the NSW Crown Solicitors Office, having represented many NSW Government agencies in this jurisdiction as well as other NSW Court jurisdictions. She has, therefore, an excellent knowledge of public sector employment and dispute resolution.

Commissioner Sloan joins us from the role of Group General Manager, Employee and Industrial Relations at Toll Holdings Limited. A lawyer of almost 30 years standing, he has been an accredited specialist in employment and industrial law for 17 years. His had a broad and deep experience of workplace negotiations will enable him to assist parties in the resolution of matters through conciliation. 

Arrangements to welcome the new Commissioners will be announced shortly.

Fixing Amalgamation Day

25 May 2018

Industrial Relations Act 1996 (NSW)

Proposed Amalgamation – Funeral and Allied Industries Union (New South Wales Branch) and Australian Workers' Union of Australia, New South Wales Branch.

Take notice that the Industrial Registrar has fixed 6 June 2018 as the amalgamation day in the proceedings for the above named industrial organisations in terms of s. 559 (2) of the Industrial Relations Act 1991 (repealed) applied as a regulation by s. 283 (3) of the Industrial Relations Act 1996 (N.S.W.). Under the Scheme of Amalgamation, Funeral and Allied Industries Union is the de-registering organisation and Australian Workers Union of N.S.W. is the amalgamated organisation.

Farewell to Commissioner Newall and Commissioner Seymour

27 March 2018

In the coming weeks we will see the final sittings for Commissioner Newall (29 March) and Commissioner Seymour (6 April).

Commissioner Newall was appointed as a Commissioner on 29 April 2013 and has served the Industrial Relations Commission with distinction for the past five years. Apart from his capacity to carry a significant workload in the day to day work of the Commission, the Commissioner made a number of extracurricular contributions including his conduct of Advocacy Training programs for new advocates.

Commissioner Seymour while only appointed in May 2017 has had a significant impact in her short time with the Commission. In particular the Commissioner led the introduction of the Commission's Twitter account providing another mechanism for stakeholders to be kept up to date with developments at the Commission. She is returning to practice at the NSW Bar, Level 22 Chambers.

We thank Commissioner Newall and Commissioner Seymour for their service to the Industrial Relations Commission as well as their wider work within industrial relations and workplace/employment law. They will be difficult to replace.

We wish them well in their future endeavours.

Annual Report 2016

9 March 2018

Following the tabling of the annual report for 2016 with the State Government, the Annual Report is now available from the Annual Reports page of this website.

Notice of Cancellation of the Registration of the Restaurant and Catering Industry Association of New South Wales under the Industrial Relations Act 1996

1 March 2018

Take notice: on 1 March 2018 His Honour Justice Rothman of the Supreme Court of New South Wales cancelled the registration of the Restaurant and Catering Industry Association of New South Wales as a State industrial organisation of employers.

Updated Practice Notes

20 February 2018

The following Practice Notes have been updated and are effective as of 15 February 2018:

• Practice Note 1A; Usual Appeal Directions
• Practice Note 14A; Conciliation Applications Referred from the Supreme Court
• Practice Note 21A; Disclosure of Experts and Medical Reports
• Practice Note 23A; Procedures – Public Sector Disciplinary Appeals
• Practice Note 25A; Pre Judgement Interest Rates
• Practice Note 30A; Filing of Documents in Computer Readable Format
• Practice Note 31A; Production of and Access to Summonsed Material