AIRC Award modernisation process 2008

The AIRC began the modern award process in March 2008, after the Australian Government made a formal request under Part 10A of the Workplace Relations Act 1996.

The formal request set out that the AIRC was required to review pre-reform awards and Notional Agreements Preserving State Awards (NAPSAs) applying to certain industries and occupations, and replace them with a set of modern awards by 31 December 2009.

The modern award process was conducted in 4 stages:

• Priority industries and occupations (July–December 2008)
• Stage 2 (October 2008–April 2009)
• Stage 3 (March–September 2009)
• Stage 4 (July–December 2009)

By the end of 2009 the AIRC had reviewed more than 1500 awards and created 122 industry and occupation awards.

These awards commenced on 1 January 2010, but most included transitional provisions to phase in changes in wages, loadings and penalties over a 5-year period.

During the modern award process AIRC staff prepared research schedules comparing a number of clauses in federal and state awards.

The federal and state awards that were compared were significant awards that were operating under the national workplace relations system as NAPSAs. Research was undertaken in each of the AIRC's panels of industries.

The clauses that were compared include:

• scope and incidence
• provisions dealing with each of the matters that may be included in modern awards pursuant to section 576J of the Workplace Relations Act 1996, and
• provisions relevant to the National Employment Standards.

This is a complete list of industries and occupations that were dealt with in each stage of the process. You can also see the related case number from this list. 

Priority industries and occupations (July–December 2008)

Stage 2 industries and occupations (October 2008–April 2009)

Stage 3 industries and occupations (March–September 2009)

Stage 4 industries and occupations (July–December 2009)