Full description
The Office of Industrial Relations (OIR) was established on 2 April 2003 when the former Department of Industrial Relations [II] was abolished and its branches transferred to the newly created Department of Commerce. (1) Industrial Relations became one of the five Offices of the Department of Commerce, along with: Office of Fair Trading, Office of Government Business, Office of Government Procurement, and the Office of Information and Communications Technology.
The Office of Industrial Relations is responsible for facilitating equitable, innovative and productive workplace relations in New South Wales. The Office of Industrial Relations promotes compliance with New South Wales industrial legislation, promotes employment equity in New South Wales workplaces and promotes workplace reform in New South Wales.
In 2004, the Office of Industrial Relations consisted of the following functional areas:
1) Industrial Relations Service Delivery – responsible for Industrial Inspectors, Prosecutions and Licensing, the Award Enquiry Service, GREAT/TAB Registry;
2) Industrial Relations Analysis and Partnerships – responsible for Workplace Advice, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (ATSI) Unit, Analysis and Review, Women’s Equity Bureau, Communication Services, and Legal Services. The Women’s Equity Bureau implements Government policy on women in the workplace including pay equity, employment discrimination and work and family issues. The Bureau undertakes research, provides policy advice and conducts information campaigns. The ATSI Unit helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in New South Wales to understand their rights and responsibilities as employees, managers and employers; (2)
3) Business Development and Support;
4) Behind the Label Unit. (3)
In the 2002/03 financial year, the Office of Industrial Relations undertook investigations covering approximately 8,600 employers and 28,000 employees. (4)
From 1 July 2009 when the Department of Commerce was abolished the Office of Industrial Relations became a division of the new Principal Department, the Department of Services, Technology and Administration. (5)
In 2009 the Office of Industrial Relations became NSW Industrial Relations (NSW IR) with branches for Service Delivery and Industrial Relations Analysis & Partnerships. (6)
From 4 April 2011 when the name of the Department of Services, Technology and Administration was changed NSW Industrial Relations became a branch of the Department of Finance and Services. (7) Its business units comprised Compliance; Education, Information and Business; and Policy at July 2012. (8)
On 1 July 2012, the branch from the Department of Premier and Cabinet responsible for administering industrial relations policy and advice relating to the NSW public sector became part of NSW Industrial Relations. This business unit was known as Public Sector Industrial Relations. (9)
On 12 September 2012 NSW Industrial Relations was removed from the Department of Finance and Services and added to the Treasury. (10)
In 2013-2014, NSW IR provided: strategic public and private sector policy advice to the NSW Government; specialist support to public sector agencies regarding the application of the Government’s Wages Policy and implementation of Government reforms; participated actively as a partner in the Commonwealth’s national workplace relations framework; and monitors and enforces compliance for the construction, entertainment, and taxi industries. NSW IR advised on and managed the industrial relations implications of the Government Sector Employment Act 2013 and managed compliance for the Construction, Entertainment and Taxi Industries. (11)
On 2 April 2019, NSW IR was transferred to the Department of Premier and Cabinet within the Community Engagement branch. During 2019/2020, NSW IR was renamed to NSW Employee Relations. (12)
In 2020/2021, the Employee Relations branch moved from the Community Engagement Group to the People and Operations Group to better align business operations. (13)
Endnotes
1. NSW Government Gazette No.67, 2 April 2003, p.4331.
2. Office of Industrial Relations website (accessed 23 September 2004) http://www.industrialrelations.nsw.gov.au/about/services/index.html 3. NSW Department of Commerce Annual Report 2002/03, p.28.
4. ibid., p2.
5. Public Sector Employment and Management (Departmental Amalgamations) Order 2009 (2009 No 352) cls. 28; notified on NSW Legislation website, 27 July 2009.
6. Department of Services, Technology & Administration, Annual Report 2009/10, p.41; History of NSW Industrial Relations on NSW Industrial Relations website, http://www.industrialrelations.nsw.gov.au/About_NSW_IR/History_of_NSW_IR.html accessed 19 September 2012).
7. Public Sector Employment and Management (Departments) Order 2011 (2011 No 184) cls. 29; notified on NSW Legislation website, 3 April 2011.
8. Department of Finance and Services Organisation Chart, July 2012 from Department website http://services.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/policy_docs/DFS-org-chart-July2012.pdf (accessed 19 September 2012).
9. History of NSW Industrial Relations on NSW Industrial Relations website http://www.industrialrelations.nsw.gov.au/About_NSW_IR/History_of_NSW_IR.html accessed 19 September 2012).
10. Public Sector Employment and Management (Industrial Relations) Order 2012; notified NSW Legislation website 12 September 2012 (2012 No 456), cl.4.
11. NSW Treasury, Annual Report 2013-2014, p.41.
12. Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes—Public Service Agencies) Order 2019 (2019 No 159), cl.19; NSW Legislation website, 2 April 2019.
13. Department of Premier and Cabinet, Annual Report 2020-2021, p.8.
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