Proposed court will have specialist judges with workplace relations expertise
The Australian government has announced its intention to establish a new federal Fair Work Court, in which specialist judges with relevant experience will resolve workplace relations disputes alongside the Fair Work Commission.
According to a joint media release from Anthony Albanese, Australia’s prime minister; Amanda Rishworth, federal employment and workplace relations minister; and Michelle Rowland, federal attorney-general, the new court will aim to make the justice system and dispute resolution fairer, faster, simpler, and more accessible for the country’s employers and employees.
“The new Fair Work Court will create a streamlined dispute resolution pathway, drawing on the expertise of specialist judges to make it easier and simpler for workers and businesses to navigate the legal system,” Rowland said.
“Specialist judges with workplace relations expertise would ensure workplace matters are considered by people with appropriate expertise,” Rishworth added.
The federal government stressed the importance of swift and fair dispute resolution among employers and workers for a fair workplace relations system.
“A Fair Work Court will make a significant difference to help workers receive the entitlements and pay they worked hard for,” Rishworth said. “It is important the system works fairly and efficiently for workers and employers.”
“The Albanese Government is committed to enabling timely and effective access to justice for more Australians,” Rowland added.
Before it considers the proposed court’s final design and next steps, the Australian government plans to open a consultation this year for employers, employees, and legal experts to give their input.
According to the federal government, the consultation will seek to shape how the new court will:
“The Government looks forward to consulting with workers, business and the legal profession on the final design of the court,” Rowland said in the joint media release.
“We want to get this right, which is why consultation will be central to shaping the design of the proposed court,” Rishworth added.
The Australian government said it would share more details soon regarding the consultation process.
The federal government explained that the existing court system can be expensive, complicated to navigate, and slow in addressing modern workplace needs, with today’s workers and small businesses sometimes striving to reach simple resolutions for over two years and spending more for their cases than their claims are worth.
“Australians who have been underpaid hundreds, even thousands, of dollars shouldn’t have to wait years for justice, or be told their case will cost more than their claim,” Albanese said in the joint media release. “That’s why Labor will fix it – with the Fair Work Court to resolve disputes faster and at lower cost, benefiting employees and employers alike.”
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