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Information publication scheme

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What is the information publication scheme?

The information publication scheme (IPS) prescribed by the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) requires Commonwealth agencies to make a broad range of information available, where possible, online. You can find out more about the IPS at the website of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

This page provides a portal to accessing Fair Work Commission information required under the IPS. The information is provided in several ways:

  • text alone
  • a link to a relevant online page
  • by broad description or type, with details as to how to access the full information.

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Agency plan

The Fair Work Commission has an information publication plan which describes how the Commission is implementing and administering the IPS in respect of its own information holdings.

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Who we are

The Fair Work Commission is Australia's national workplace relations tribunal. It is an independent body with power to carry out a range of functions.

The President of the Fair Work Commission is responsible for overseeing the work of the tribunal and its Members. The President is Justice Iain Ross, AO.

Those who work for the Commission include statutory appointees appointed under the Fair Work Act 2009 and staff employed under the Public Service Act 1999. The statutory appointees are:

  • the President, Vice Presidents, Deputy Presidents and Commissioners, who are appointed to age 65 and are full-time
  • Expert Panel members who are appointed for a set period of not more than five years and are part-time
  • members of state industrial tribunals who also hold an appointment with the Commission
  • the General Manager.

Further information about Fair Work Commission Members is available on the following pages:

The General Manager of the Fair Work Commission is appointed by the Governor-General by written instrument for a term not exceeding 5 years. The current General Manager is Bernadette O’Neill.

The role of the General Manager is to assist the President of the Commission and to oversee the administration of Commission staff. Together the General Manager and Commission staff constitute a statutory agency with the General Manager the head of the agency.

Fair Work Commission staff are organised in the following branches:

  • Client Services Delivery Branch – Executive Director (and eCase Project Sponsor): Ailsa Carruthers
  • Corporate Services Branch – Acting Executive Director: Jack Lambalk
  • Tribunal Services Branch – Executive Director: Murray Furlong.

The Commission has offices in all Australian capital cities. Contact details are available on the Contact us page.

What we do

The role and functions of the Commission are described at:

Additional information about Commission functions and processes is available on the Commission's website including on the following pages:

Our reports and responses to Parliament

The President of the Fair Work Commission is required under the Fair Work Act 2009 to prepare an annual report on the operations of the Commission, for tabling in the Australian Parliament.

The General Manager of the Fair Work Commission is required under the Public Service Act 1999 and the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 to prepare an annual report on the agency’s activities, for tabling in the Australian Parliament.

In addition, the Fair Work Commission publishes quarterly statistical reports on its website and the General Manager is required to provide a number of research reports.

Further information is available on the following pages:

In accordance with the Senate Standing Order for Indexed Lists of Departmental and Agency Files, the Fair Work Commission is required to publish lists of files relating to policy advising functions, the development of legislation and other matters of public administration. These lists are available on the Agency file listing page.

The Fair Work Commission's responses to questions asked during the Senate Estimates process, including any Questions on Notice, are available from the Australian Parliament's website at www.aph.gov.au:

Routinely requested information & disclosure log

The Fair Work Commission is required under sections 8(2)(g) and 11C of the FOI Act to publish information to which the Commission routinely gives access in response to freedom of information (FOI) requests and the disclosure log of information that has been released under the FOI Act.

Information that can be published resulting from FOI requests and any routinely released information from such requests is found in our FOI disclosure log.

Consultation arrangements

As the national workplace relations tribunal, the Fair Work Commission does not deal with specific policy proposals requiring consultation with the general public.

However, one of the key objectives of the Fair Work Commission's Future Directions initiatives is to engage with the community it serves through programs involving the public, stakeholders and research groups. The Commission has developed an engagement strategy that aims to encourage more productive workplaces by promoting harmonious and cooperative workplace relations. The Commission also consults with the public as part of its annual wage review process, the 4 yearly review of modern awards, and as part of the General Manager's reporting requirements.

The Commission undertakes consultation and research with various stakeholder groups, in addition to its ongoing feedback channels, to generate ideas and feedback that can help it deliver the most accessible, fair and efficient services to the community. The Commission engages with the public in a number of ways, including through:

  • holding briefings and information sessions to interested groups, that focus on the role, functions and history of the Commission;
  • conducting the Workplace Relations Education Series, which features lectures and mock hearings;
  • establishing user or reference groups to facilitate an exchange of views between the Commission and key stakeholders;
  • delivering speeches (by Commission Members) at workplace relations conferences and events; and
  • conducting a range of research activities about its work.

Further information is available on the Commission's website including the following pages:

Our priorities

Further information relating to the Fair Work Commission’s current and future priorities is available at:

Our finances

The Fair Work Commission provides financial statements in its annual report presented to the Australian Parliament.

Further information is available on the following pages:

Our lists

The Fair Work Commission publishes various lists on its website, including on the following pages:

Operational information

The Fair Work Commission produces and publishes a wealth of information relating to its tribunal operations throughout its website, including on the following pages:

Media & news

The Fair Work Commission posts news items and media releases to its website.

Media enquiries should be directed to the Media & Communications team.

Further information is available on the following pages:

Site map & search

Information on the Fair Work Commission website can be located using one of the following options:

Subscribe

A number of free subscription services are available through the website's Subscribe to updates page.

Contact us

The Fair Work Commission invites written comments on its information publication plan by email to foi@fwc.gov.au or by post to:

FOI Officer
Fair Work Commission
GPO Box 1994
Melbourne Victoria 3001

Any complaints about the Commission's information publication plan or related to the IPS should be directed to the FOI Officer, as above.

Other contact details for the Fair Work Commission are available on the Contact us page.

Updated time

Last updated

30 January 2020

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