ARTICLE · 09 SEPTEMBER 2009

Award Modernisation Background To Award Modernisation

Hunt & Hunt

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In March 2008 the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations (“the Minister”) directed the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (“AIRC”) to modernise awards.

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In March 2008 the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations ("the Minister") directed the Australian Industrial Relations Commission ("AIRC") to modernise awards. The Minister's power to do so came about as a result of amendments to the Workplace Relations Act 1996 by the Rudd government at the time.

The primary object of award modernisation is to simplify and consolidate thousands of state and federal awards throughout Australia (i.e. pre-reform awards and Notional Agreements Preserving State Awards).

It is understood that the AIRC intends to replace these awards with approximately 130 modern awards. The AIRC has until the end of this year to modernise awards at which time the AIRC will cease to operate.

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