10 Industrial Relations
10.1.0 Workplace Relations Framework
10.2.0 Public Sector Workplace Relations
10.3.0 Workplace Development and Services
10.4.0 Executive and Corporate Services
Portfolio Overview
The Budget Measures cited apply across the Portfolio. The effect of 1996-97 Budget Measures was to reduce allocations by $29 million in that year, and building in lesser reductions in future years. It can be seen from the above Budget Measures that the effect of this year's Budget Measures cause less of a reduction to the forward estimates.
Outlays for the Department of Industrial Relations are to increase to $268.7 million in 1997-98, compared with $258.5 million in 1996-97. A new Sub-program (1.6, Office of the Employment Advocate) has been created.
The expected outcome for staffing in 1996-97 is expected to be 1397 staff years, slightly down from 1474.9 staff years estimated in last year's Budget. The staff year estimate for 1997-98 is expected to be 1 458.7 staff years.
In Sub-program 1.1 Industrial Relations Policy, the main change appears to be the termination of three programs including the funding of Working Women's Centres, the Workers with Family Responsibilities Program and the Workplace Bargaining and Best Practice. Savings amount to $1.1 million. Future tasks for this Sub-program include preparation of the 1997 Enterprise Bargaining Report and release of the 1995 Australian Workplace Industrial Relations Survey.
Sub-programs 1.2 (Legal and Standards) and 1.3 (Affirmative Action Agency) have had no significant changes to their operations.
Sub-program 1.4 covers the operations of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission and the Australian Industrial Registry. The 1997-98 allocation of $40.6 million has not changed significantly form last year's allocation. The AIRC gains $835 000 in 1997-98 to cover the operation of the Victorian industrial relations system. From the restructuring proposal recently announced by President Deirdre O'Connor, there appears to be a need to transfer AIRC resources from New South Wales to Victoria.(1)
Sub-program 1.5 covers the operations of the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission. Outlays are to increase by about $1.3 million in 1997-98 (to $15.6 million) compared to the previous year. Over the past two years of staff years have been reduced by almost 100 from 224, with 136 forecast for 1997-98.
The Office of the Employment Advocate has been set up under Sub-program 1.6. Although provision was made for the OEA in 1996, the legislation needed to establish the OEA became effective in March 1997. The purpose of the OEA is to provide advice to employers and workers on Australian Workplace Agreements, to file Australian Workplace Agreements and to implement the no disadvantage test in respect of them. The outlays for 1997-98 are $12 million.
In Sub-program 2.1, Australian Government Employment, there do not appear to be significant changes. Staffing is to be reduced slightly compared to 1996-97. The major tasks of Australian Government Employment is to facilitate the devolution from centralised to agency-based negotiations within the Australian Public Service, as well as in the Defence Forces and in respect of the determination of overseas conditions of service.
Sub-program 2.2 covers the operations of the Remuneration Tribunals, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Remuneration Tribunal and the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal. There do not appear to be significant changes to the operations of these tribunals.
For Sub-program 2.3, Comcare Australia and the Safety Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission, total outlays will increase from $64.5 million to $77.0 million in 1997-98. The Portfolio Budget Statement notes that the increase in outlays is brought about by a reduction of $12.1 million in premium receipts. Staff years for the Sub-program are to decrease by 5% to 390 in 1997-98.
Sub-program 3.1 covers Industry Strategy and Operations. The transfer of the Victorian industrial relations system to the Commonwealth (effective from January 1997) has added functions to those already performed by the Department for Federal awards in respect of award inquiries, award compliance, information and education. The Sub-program also provides the Minister with advice on priority industry sectors including waterfront/maritime, meat processing, coal mining and building and construction. It also recognises tradespersons' skills under the relevant legislation. Due to the added functions, allocations to the Sub-program have increased by almost $3 million to $15.2 million for 1997-98. Staff years increase from 213 to 233.
Sub-program 3.2, Special Industry Services administers industry funds for the stevedoring and coal mining industries. The Stevedoring Industry Finance Committee is to be wound up and surplus funds are to be distributed. The functions performed by the Sub-program appear to be subsumed elsewhere since its staff years have reduced to zero.
In Program 4, Executive and Corporate Services, the main point of interest in this Program is that it contains the wind-up of Trade Union Training Authority and the realisation of its assets, which are expected to return $3.4 million in 1997-98.
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