Award Modernisation 2014-2016

Award Modernisation - pursuant to s140C(1) of the Industrial Relations Act 1999 (Act repealed effective 1/3/17)

Background

On 1 December 2013 the Industrial Relations Act 1999 [the Act] was amended to provide for the modernisation of Queensland Awards. However, the process of modernising Awards did not begin until February 2014, by which time the Queensland Industrial Relations Commissions' (the Commission's) Award Modernisation's (AMOD) Team had established that approximately 31 Modern Awards would need to be created to replace the 69 "active" pre modernisation awards within its jurisdiction.

On 17 March 2015 the Treasurer, Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, the Honourable Curtis Pitt MP, (the Minister) suspended the Award Modernisation Process to enable the new Queensland Government to consult with key stakeholders about implementation of changes to the process which had been taken by the Government to the election held on 31 January 2015.

On 20 July 2015 the Minister, pursuant to section 140CA(1) of the Industrial Relations Act 1999, requested the Vice-President of the Commission to recommence the award modernisation process in accordance with a revised Variation Notice and new Consolidated Request, both dated 17 July 2015. This followed amendments to the Act passed by Parliament on 4 June 2015 and assented to on 11 June 2015.

The request was subsequently amended on 14 October 2015 to transfer responsibility for the Award Modernisation process from the Vice President of the Commission to the President.

Minister's Award Modernisation Variation Notice

The content of the Minister's Variation Notice request pursuant to s 140CA(1) of the Industrial Relations Act 1999 as well as the Consolidated Request can be found by clicking on the following links below:

Previous Award Modernisation Requests

Program for Modernising Awards

To keep interested parties informed of progress in the Award Modernisation process, the Commission – through the Award Modernisation Team – has prepared a spreadsheet which records its program to modernise all Queensland Awards as required by the Minister in the Consolidated Request.

This program provides the following information:

  • the date by which the relevant parties are to provide a draft modern award;
  • the planned release date of each modern award exposure draft by the AMOD Team;
  • the planned dates for conferences in connection with the content of each proposed modern award;
  • the date for a Full Bench Hearing to make each new award; and
  • the date by which the modern award or proposed modern award is to be made.

Access the program

Reports of the Commission to the Minister

The most recent request requires the President of the Commission, or his delegate to provide the Minister with quarterly progress reports outlining:

  1. those industries and/or occupations undergoing or about to commence award modernisation;
  2. the progress of award modernisation, including any significant developments during the previous period and key issues or developments scheduled for the next period;
  3. any other matters which the President considers appropriate; and
  4. a response to any matters raised by the Minister.

Future reports are due by:

  1. 31 March 2016; and
  2. 30 June 2016.

Previous Reports issued by the Commission

Certain Awards declared obsolete

Ten (10) inactive Awards were obsolete from 14 August 2014 by Order of the Commission dated the same day. View the Order.

Four (4) further Awards were declared obsolete by a Notice dated 16 December 2014. View the Notice.