Summary of changes: Fair Work Amendment Act 2015

This article summarises the key changes to the FW Act made by the FW Amendment Act and considers further reform that may be proposed by the Federal Government.

In brief

• The Fair Work Amendment Act 2015 (Cth) (FW Amendment Act) came into force on 27 November 2015 and amends the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act).
• This article summarises the key changes to the FW Act made by the FW Amendment Act and considers further reform that may be proposed by the Federal Government.

Summary of changes to be introduced by the FW Amendment Act

The changes to the FW Act made by the FW Amendment Act apply as of 27 November 2015.

A summary of the key changes to the FW Act are set out in the downloadable PDF above.

What’s next?

The Fair Work Amendment (Bargaining Processes) Bill 2014 (Cth) (Bargaining Processes Bill) which was introduced to Parliament on 27 November 2014, remains before the Senate but its future is uncertain.

A summary the key changes proposed by the Bargaining Processes Bill are set out in the downloadable PDF above.

The Coalition Government’s other industrial relations bills, the Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Bill 2013 (Cth) and the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Bill 2014 (Cth), failed to advance past the second reading stage in the Senate (on 17 August 2014).

The new Minister for Employment, Senator Cash, has publically committed to re-introduce these bills to Parliament, although as yet no timetable for their introduction has been announced.

This article was written by John Cooper, Partner, Melbourne, Rohan Doyle, Executive Counsel, Brisbane, and Darren Hexter, Solicitor, Melbourne.