Australia: Employee Rights/ Labour Relations

Generative Artificial Intelligence seems to be everywhere. If you think your business may be immune, your staff are likely not telling you how they are using it.

In this episode of Inside IR, Rohan Doyle and Mitchell Brennan use the recent Full Federal Court decision in AMWU v Opal Packaging Australia (May 2026) to explore the real-world implications of complexity in enterprise agreements. With four decision-makers across three forums arriving at four different interpretations of a relatively common status quo clause, the case is a stark illustration of enterprise agreement complexity, and how status quo clauses can be a source of competitive advantage for employers...

Employers who require employees to work from the office, who have historically worked from home and have children, may find their efforts frustrated by successful applications for flexible work arrangements...

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has introduced the Equal Opportunity Amendment (Work from Home) Bill 2026, which would create a statutory right for employees to work from home at least two days per week, where it is reasonable to do so.

The Fair Work Commission's 2026 Annual Wage Review has delivered significant changes to Australia's minimum wage landscape, including a 4.75% increase to modern award rates and a structural adjustment to the lowest pay classifications. These changes will reshape wage structures across industries and create important compliance obligations for employers navigating enterprise agreements, annualised salary arrangements, and award-based remuneration systems.

Significant workplace relations changes are set to take effect from 1 July 2026, impacting both employers and employees across Australia.

Victoria's proposed Equal Opportunity Amendment (Work from Home) Bill 2026 seeks to establish a statutory right for eligible employees to work from home two days per week, with employers required to cover reasonable costs and equipment. The legislation outlines specific exemptions, reasonableness factors for employer refusals, and a dispute resolution process through the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission.

The Australian Government released the 2026 Public Sector Workplace Relations Policy on 3 June 2026, setting parameters for enterprise bargaining across the Commonwealth public sector including APS and Non-APS agencies.

On 16 June 2026, the Victorian government introduced the Equal Opportunity Amendment (Work from Home) Bill 2026 (Vic) (the WFH Bill).