Key developments
- Productivity Commission – Workplace Relations Framework Inquiry
- Migration Amendment (Maintaining the Good Order of Immigration Detention Facilities) Bill 2015
- NSW Workers Compensation legislation
- Limitation periods in civil claims for child sexual abuse
Productivity Commission – Workplace Relations Framework Inquiry
The Employment Law Committee made a submission to the Productivity Commission on its Workplace Relations Framework Inquiry.
The Committee’s submission addressed three points:
(1) The Committee reiterated the Law Society’s long standing position on the right to legal representation before courts and tribunals. The Committee submitted that the right to representation should be reinstated in Fair Work Commission matters. The Rural Issues Committee identified that in rural and remote areas many clients can be a long way from a Fair Work Commission office. Where a local lawyer has been engaged, significant travel costs can be incurred without any certainty that the lawyer’s application for permission to appear will be granted.
(2) Having canvassed the problems that arise because of the variety of long service leave entitlements, the Committee submitted that the Productivity Commission should recommend that Commonwealth, state and territory governments should expedite the development of national long service leave standards.
(3) Finally, the Committee also reiterated its support for the availability of Benchbooks to assist with procedural issues in employment law matters.