In 2013, the Australian Government asked the Sex Discrimination Commissioner, on behalf of the Australian Human Rights Commission, to undertake a National Review into discrimination related to pregnancy, parental leave and return to work after parental leave. The aims of the National Review, entitled Supporting Working Parents: Pregnancy and Return to Work National Review have...

This report examines the influence of the Fair Work Commission (FWC) - formally Fair Work Australia - through its supervisory role in the enterprise bargaining process, and the consequences of FWC's involvement for the way that employers, employees and unions manage industrial relations at the workplace level. The study focuses on FWC's handling and determination...

In late 2011, we identified unpaid work in Australia as a growing issue that needed our attention. We decided that further research was needed in this area so we could understand it better. We asked Adelaide University Law School Professor Andrew Stewart and Rosemary Owens to conduct research and deliver a report on unpaid work...

Since the Labor Government replaced WorkChoices with the Fair Work Act, many business leaders have complained that the new legislation has made the labour market inflexible and unworkable. Conversely, some union leaders have voiced their disappointment that the Fair Work Act did not go far enough in reversing the trend towards labour market liberalisation. So...

In recent years a number of major events have influenced Australians’ work, personal, family and community lives. The global financial crisis commenced in 2007/8 and international financial markets have experienced continuing instability. The Fair Work Act 2009 introduced a number of changes to the regulation of work. These included a new net of National Employment...