Australia’s workplace safety net is under the microscope.

A parliamentary inquiry has been launched to review the National Employment Standards (NES), testing whether the Standards are fit for purpose for employers, workers, and the ever-changing economy.

Why is the NES being reviewed?

The review is being undertaken by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment, Workplace Relations, Skills and Training (Committee) to assess whether the NES continues to operate as an effective and coherent safety net, including whether existing entitlements remain fit for purpose in light of the changing nature of work.

The inquiry will exclude several NES provisions, including flexible working requests, casual employment, parental leave and family and domestic violence leave, as these matters have either recently been reviewed or will be considered through separate statutory processes.

Submissions to the inquiry

The Committee sought written submissions to inform its assessment of the operation and adequacy of the NES, which closed on 27 February 2026. Submissions have been made by employer groups, unions, individuals, academics, and advocacy groups, reflecting a broad and diverse variety of views. A number of submissions, from all sides of the debate, urge a wholistic consideration of the framework, focusing on its impacts rather than on individual entitlements.

So, what have the submissions said?

Well, unsurprisingly, there is broad support for the NES as a universal...

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