Industrial Relations Bill 2016

Overview

This bill replaces Queensland's Industrial Relations Act 1999 with an entirely new framework governing work for the state's public service, local councils and Brisbane City Council. It sets new minimum employment conditions, makes collective bargaining the main way to negotiate pay and conditions, introduces paid domestic and family violence leave for the first time, and makes Easter Sunday a public holiday from 2017.

Who it affects

The bill directly covers Queensland state government employees, local council workers and their employers (about the non-federal part of Queensland's workforce). Private-sector workers at companies remain under the federal Fair Work Act. Every Queenslander is affected by the new Easter Sunday public holiday.

Key changes

• Introduces up to 10 days paid domestic and family violence leave per year for state and local government employees - an Australian first
• Creates a right to request flexible working arrangements, with employers required to respond within 21 days
• Makes Easter Sunday a public holiday from 2017, bringing Queensland into line with NSW, Victoria and the ACT
• Introduces new 'general protections' against adverse action, workplace discrimination and coercion, modelled on the federal Fair Work Act
• Gives public sector workers access to stop-bullying orders through the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission
• Requires reviews of long-term casual public servants to consider converting them to permanent employment
• Gives the QIRC exclusive jurisdiction over workplace-related anti-discrimination complaints, removing them from QCAT
• Strengthens financial reporting, governance and training requirements for registered unions and employer associations
• Retains collective bargaining, arbitration by the QIRC as a last resort, and the right to take protected industrial action
• Preserves existing unfair dismissal protections with reinstatement, re-employment or compensation remedies