Fair Work Australia: An Accessible, Independent Umpire for Employment Matters

Abstract

Fair Work Australia is a new industrial relations tribunal that comes with more than 100 years of history that has shaped its functions and substantive work. This article briefly plots the development of Fair Work Australia’s jurisdiction in respect of awards, bargaining and agreement making, the ‘alternative’ dispute resolution of rights-based disputes, termination of employment, industrial organizations, and appeals. It then analyses statistical data to reveal the changes that have occurred in the day-to-day work of Australia’s national industrial institution over time. The independence and accessibility of the tribunal are also considered. The article concludes that Fair Work Australia is well placed to deal with a more extensive jurisdiction in employment matters.