An award sets fair and reasonable conditions of employment for public sector and local government employees in specific industries or occupations. Awards are legally binding on employers, employees and industrial organisations to which the award applies.
More information about how awards are made can be found on the Commission website.
The index of current NSW Awards can be found on the Commission website. The Industrial Registrar may, from time to time, publish on the Commission website a reprint of an award incorporating all award variations up to a specified date.1
Some awards that were in effect before 27 March 2006, and that covered employees of a company, have been given effect as enterprise agreements in accordance with the IR Act.2 These industrial instruments are available on the Commission website.
In the State Wage Case 2025 (No 3),3 the Commission finalised and published the 2025-2026 Award Making Principles used to guide the exercise of the Commission’s discretion when making and varying awards. A copy of the decision can be found here.
Awards made since 2001 can be accessed online in the NSW Industrial Gazette.
Historical awards published from 1970 to 2000 can be found at the State Library of NSW.
The ‘NSW Awards and Contract Determinations in force supplement’ contains a snapshot of awards made by the Commission from January 2001. It can be found on the Commission website.
The Commission may rescind an award or part of an award that is obsolete.4 A list of obsolete awards can be found on the Commission website.
The Industrial Registrar must keep a record, referred to as a ‘party card’,5 of the parties to each award along with relevant State peak councils.6
An application to make, vary or rescind an award must be served on all persons or bodies recorded in the party card.7
1 Industrial Relations Commission Rules 2022 (NSW) r 6.6.; 2 Industrial Relations Act 1996 (NSW) Sch 4 cl 44C.; 3 [2025] NSWIRComm 36.; 4 Industrial Relations Act 1996 (NSW) s 20(1).; 5 Industrial Relations Commission Rules 2022 (NSW) r 6.7(1).; 6 Industrial Relations Commission Rules 2022 (NSW) r 6.7(2).; 7 Industrial Relations Commission Rules 2022 (NSW) r 6.7(4).
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