AGY-402 | Department of Industrial Relations, Employment, Training and Further Education

Full description

On 23 January 1991 the Department of Industrial Relations merged with the Department of Further Education, Training and Employment to become the Department of Industrial Relations, Employment, Training and Further Education (DIRETFE) (1).

By mid 1993 the corporate goals of the agency were as follows:
To achieve effective public relations in the workplace;
To generate employment opportunities;
To maximise the English competence and enhance the settlement, access and labour market productivity of adult migrants;
To enhance the provision of adult and community education;
To enhance the development and utilisation of vocational skills;
To improve access to the labour market for groups with special needs;
To achieve the co-ordination of vocational skills development and further and community education services;
To develop flexible, comprehensive and cost-effective superannuation within the NSW Public sector
To administer and service designated long service and superannuation schemes;
To ensure that the minister and department receive high quality, timely policy advice; and
To achieve the department’s mission in the most efficient and effective manner. (2)

The Department was divided into the following business units - Management Services; Industrial Relations Services; Employment and Training Services; Adult Migrant English Service (AMES); Public Employment Industrial Relations Services (PEIRS); Board of Adult and Community Education Secretariat; and the Policy, Legislation and Advisings Units. the Building and Construction Industry Long Service Payments Corporations and the NSW Superannuation Office. The Department provided support for seven bodies that reported to the Minister. Viz- Migrant Employment and Qualifications Board; Commissioner for Enterprise Agreements; Vocational Education and Training Accreditation Board; Board of Adult and Community Education; Commissioner for Vocational Training; Industrial and Commercial Training Council and Entertainment Industry Interim Council. (3)

The Employment and Training Services branch developed and delivered vocational training and employment programs; administered the State’s apprenticeship and traineeship systems; provided employment-related counselling to individuals and disadvantaged groups; reviewed and negotiated improvements in recognition of overseas qualifications and skills and advised the Minister on employment and training matters. (4)

The Industrial Relations Services Unit provided advice to the Minister on industrial relations issues (particularly private sector issues); promoted the use of enterprise agreements; provided award information and advice regarding industrial legislation, particularly the Industrial Relations Act 1991; investigated complaints and prosecuted serious breaches of industrial laws; provided administrative support to the industrial tribunals; and advised industry and the public on business licensing and the government’s regulation strategies. (5)

The Board of Adult and Community Education Secretariat allocated government funds to agencies to provide adult and community education in the State; fostered and supported the establishment of organisational structures to facilitate the co-ordinated provision of adult and community education and advised the Minister, the TAFE Commission board and other relevant agencies on adult and community education issues. (6)

The Labour Market Policy unit provided comprehensive policy advice to the Minister; undertook research; published discussion papers on current and emerging policy issues; conducted seminars and prepared publicity and training material; monitored labour market developments in conjunction with other areas of the Department (ibid p. 41)

The Legislation and Advisings Branch drafted legislation and regulations under the Acts administered by the Department and provided advice to the Minister (7)

By 30 June 1994 the agency had been restructured to include three assistant directors general with responsibility for employment and training; industrial relations and administration respectively. The branches, Boards and other bodies were substantially unchanged although their reporting line was to the relevant Assistant Director General (8) The Department had been arranged into regions for the purposes of service delivery. Each region was under a regional director. The regions were -
Sydney (with headquarters at Parramatta) established in October 1993,
North/West (headquarters at Newcastle) established in February 1993 and
South/West (headquarters at Newcastle) established in October 1993.
Each region had two or more local offices. (9)

The Department of Industrial Relations, Employment Training and Further Education was abolished on 5 April 1995. In its place an Office of the Board of Vocational Education and Training responsible to the Minister for Education and Training was established. (10) The Employment Training Division, the Board of Vocational Education and Training, Administration Division, and Regional Offices became part of the newly established Office (11) together with the Erudition Unit and several other branches from the Ministry of Education and Youth Affairs. (12) The Public Employment Service was transferred to the Premier’s Department, (13) but the remainder of the branches that dealt with Industrial Relations became the new Department of Industrial Relations. (14)


Endnotes
(1) NSW Government Gazette, No.20, 1 February 1991,p874
(2) DIRETFE Annual report for the year ended 30 June 1993 p. 5
(3) Ibid. p. 10
(4) Ibid. p. 14
(5) Ibid p. 28
(6) Ibid. p. 40
(7) Ibid p. 42
(8) DIRETFE Annual report for the year ended 30 June 1994 p. 10
(9) Ibid p. 12
(10) NSW Government Gazette Special Supplement 5 April 1995 p. 1859
(11) Ibid p. 1862
(12) Ibid. p. 1860
(13) Ibid p. 1862
(14) Ibid. p. 1859