AREEA invites members to contribute to the Australian Government’s latest industrial relations discussion paper which focuses on ‘cooperative workplaces’.
On behalf of our members, AREEA is preparing a broad-ranging submission to the discussion paper released by the Attorney General and Minister for Industrial Relations Christian Porter on 2 December as part of the Government’s commitment to improving the industrial relations system.
The ‘cooperative workplaces’ discussion paper presents an opportunity for AREEA to showcase best practice from within the resources and energy industry and explore ways in which the regulatory framework could better support productive and harmonious workplace outcomes.
The discussion paper is available in full here. A summary of its content and AREEA’s forthcoming submission is provided below.
Cooperative workplaces discussion paper
The ‘cooperative workplaces’ discussion paper is conceptual and less focused on specific provisions and areas of the industrial relations system than the previous two discussion papers, which examined ‘life of project agreements’ and the penalties framework.
The paper contains a series of questions relating to techniques, structures and practices that produce the most mutually beneficial and productive workplaces for both employees and employers.
The discussion paper calls for broad views and practical experiences from both Australia and internationally where modern employment practices have contributed to cooperative workplaces.
The purpose of the paper is to collate best practice examples of creating cooperative and harmonious workplaces, with a final report to be made publicly available which will assist businesses identify ways to improve their workplace cultures and practices.
Submission process
AREEA will be making a submission on behalf of the resources and energy industry, building on the research and policy themes from our New Horizon publication released late last year.
AREEA is seeking input, examples and anecdotes from members on the innovative and contemporary practices utilised to achieve productivity gains and develop more cooperative approaches to employee relations.
These best practice examples and initiatives from our industry will form the foundation of AREEA’s submission. The submission will also look at the historical context of industrial relations developments in Australia.
While the paper is not specifically seeking legislative reforms, AREEA intends to make recommendations which address the inefficiencies and regulatory burden of Australia’s workplace laws.
The closing date for submissions is 28 February 2020.
Next steps
Members with evidence, views, or anecdotes related to cooperative workplaces are strongly encouraged to get in touch via [email protected], as soon as possible.
AREEA is focused on building a compelling submission on Cooperative Workplaces by showcasing best practice from the resources and energy industry.
We look forward to promoting the innovative and productive practices from within our industry, and advocating for improved regulatory outcomes for resources and energy employers.
