The government has convened to determine whether Australia’s National Employment Standards still provide a fair, simple safety net
A federal parliamentary inquiry held today (26 March) has been told the National Employment Standards (NES) remain a vital safety net for Australian workers but can be complex to navigate, uneven in their practical impact and under pressure from changing workplace realities, including AI, casualisation and demographic shifts.
At a public hearing of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment, Workplace Relations, Skills and Training, chaired by Labor MP Carina Garland, officials from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations and the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) were questioned on how well the NES operate in practice and whether they are still “fit for purpose”.
Garland and committee members focused on whether workers and small businesses understand the NES, where compliance is breaking down, how historical “zombie” long service leave rules are working, and what challenges emerging technologies pose for job security and entitlements.
Officials from the FWO said their primary channel for educating the community is the agency’s website, backed by a national infoline, a small business helpline and a written advisory service for employers.
They reported very high online engagement over recent years and more than a million direct inquiries across phone and advisory services in...
A local housing provider has cleared up misinformation circulating online about plans to house immigrants or migrants at a site in Grimsby. False claims shared on social media alleged that a devel...