Industrial Relations Act 1996

An alteration of the rules of a State organisation does not take effect unless the Industrial Registrar consents to the alteration.

The Industrial Registrar may consent to an alteration of the rules in whole or part, but must not consent to an alteration unless satisfied that the alteration—

complies with, and is not contrary to, this Act and relevant awards or orders of the Commission made under this Act, and

is not otherwise contrary to law, and

has been made under the rules of the organisation.

The Industrial Registrar must not consent to an alteration of the rules of an industrial organisation of employees relating to eligibility for membership of the organisation if, in relation to persons who would be eligible for membership because of the alteration, there is, in the opinion of the Industrial Registrar, another industrial organisation of employees to which those persons might conveniently belong.

The Industrial Registrar must not consent to an alteration of the rules of an industrial organisation of employees to which Schedule 5 applies relating to eligibility for membership of the organisation (being an application for consent made before, or within 12 months after, the date of assent to the Industrial Relations Amendment (Industrial Representation) Act 2012) if, in relation to persons who would be eligible for membership because of the alteration there is, in the opinion of the Industrial Registrar, another organisation—

to which those persons could more conveniently belong, and

that would more effectively represent those persons.

However, subsection (3A) does not apply if the Industrial Registrar accepts an undertaking from the organisation that the Industrial Registrar considers appropriate to avoid disputes as to the demarcation of the industrial interests of the organisation and any other organisation that might otherwise arise from an overlap between eligibility for membership of the organisation and membership of the other organisation.

In determining under subsection (3A) whether an existing organisation would more effectively represent members than the applicant organisation, the Industrial Registrar must have regard to the resources and representative infrastructure of the applicant.

The Industrial Registrar may refuse to consent to an application referred to in subsection (3A) for consent to an alteration of the rules of an industrial organisation of employees if satisfied that the alteration would contravene an agreement or understanding to which the organisation is a party and that deals with the organisation’s right to represent under this Act the industrial interests of a particular class or group of employees.

If particulars of an alteration of the rules of a State organisation have been lodged with or recorded by the Industrial Registrar, the Industrial Registrar may, with the consent of the organisation, amend the alteration for the purpose of correcting a typographical, clerical or formal error.

If the Industrial Registrar consents under this section to an alteration, the alteration takes effect on the recording of the change by the Industrial Registrar.

This section does not apply in relation to an alteration of the rules of a State organisation that is—

determined by the Industrial Registrar under section 244, 244A or 247, or

proposed to be made for the purpose of an amalgamation under this Part.