Industrial Relations Act 2016

The commission’s functions include the following—

establishing and maintaining a system of non-discriminatory modern awards that, together with the Queensland Employment Standards, provide for fair and just conditions of employment for employees;

supervising the bargaining of agreements;

certifying agreements;

making bargaining awards;

making modern awards;

promoting cooperative and productive workplace relations;

taking measures to prevent disputes;

assisting parties to an industrial cause in negotiating or resolving a matter relevant to the cause, whether or not the matter is within the jurisdiction of the commission;

resolving disputes by conciliation of industrial matters and, if necessary, by arbitration or making an order;

resolving disputes in the negotiation of agreements—

by conciliation; or

by arbitration, including by the making of determinations;

resolving disputes over union coverage by making representation orders;

resolving disputes by performing the functions conferred on the commission under a referral agreement;

resolving other disputes that threaten to harm the community or the economy by conciliation and, if necessary, by arbitration;

dealing with—

applications brought under this Act or another Act, including for public service appeals; or

claims relating to dismissals;

making declarations about industrial matters;

any other function conferred on the commission under this Act or another Act.

The commission must perform its functions in a way that—

is consistent with the objects of this Act; and

avoids unnecessary technicalities and facilitates the fair and practical conduct of proceedings under this Act.