IR briefings a hit with members

A national series of Ai Group Workplace Relations Member Briefings has helped demystify proposed changes to IR legislation. 

Hundreds of member businesses registered for the face-to-face events, held in metropolitan and regional cities around the country. 

Victoria Halliday, Head of Consulting and Legal Services, Ai Group Workplace Lawyers, said the three-week ‘IR Roadshow’ was a resounding success. 

“We had significant interest in the event and ended up scheduling extra sessions to cater for the demand,” she said. 

“The events were interactive, with members asking a lot of questions and seeking further information to understand the proposed changes. The feedback was excellent.” 

The sessions aimed to inform members about proposed changes to IR legislation to enable them to be practically prepared for what lies ahead.

“The Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill, as well as the Respect@Work Bill, will — once passed into legislation — require significant adjustments in how businesses operate,” Ms Halliday said. 

“Moreover, these are likely just the tip of the iceberg, in terms of the legislative changes we are likely to see in the employment and industrial relations space under the Labour Government.” 

Dean Deighton, Ai Group’s Regional Manager, North Queensland, said the Townsville event was a boost for regional members. 

“Lawyers David Miller and Johan Myburgh did a fantastic job of unpacking the complexities of the pending IR legislation in plain language,” he said. 

“The highly interactive session also enabled businesses from a wide range of industries to engage with each other, only to realise that, in many cases, they had common challenges.”  

Jenny Berry, Regional Manager, Victoria, said the sessions in Geelong, Bendigo and Ballarat were also well received. 

“The regional briefings were an ideal opportunity for members to gather in one place to discuss their challenges and concerns,” she said.  

“I also managed to meet some members I had known for a long time but hadn’t met face-to-face.” 

Mark Tolley, Human Resource Manager, Omexom Australia, attended the Geelong session with his team. 

“It was well-presented and informative and gave us a very good understanding of the challenges that we could face in our workplace in the future,” he said. 

Lauren Cahill, HR Business Partner, GSK, said the Melbourne event she attended “was really great, filled with meaty information”.  

“We really appreciated the opportunity to connect face to face and to start digesting all the potential upcoming changes,” she added. 

Michelle Williams, Manager, People & Culture Services, CatholicCare, Victoria, said the Ballarat session, led by Ai Group Workplace Lawyers’ Brooke West and Lee Buntman, “was extremely valuable and beneficial”.   

“It was great to be able to discuss the impacts on business and how to best navigate these changes," she said.

"It was a very supportive and interactive session. We look forward to attending future sessions in person and online.” 

Susan Honeyman, People & Culture Manger, Graintech Engineering Pty Ltd, said: “It was hugely beneficial to receive these Ai Group updates on the latest IR matters. Bringing the information to regional centres adds to the value of being an Ai Group member.”  

Members’ feedback and input on the proposals set out in the Bills will be fed into Ai Group’s policy and advocacy work. 

If you require advice or assistance in understanding the proposed changes and what this will require of your organisation, Ai Group Workplace Lawyers is well positioned to assist.   

Ai Group Workplace Lawyers can provide practical advice and support around changes to internal processes and documentation (for example, policy, procedures, contracts, standard letters), as well as strategic support around how you manage the risks posed by the changes in the employment and industrial relations landscape. Please contact Ai Group Workplace Lawyers on 1300 55 66 77.