Independent report of the Victorian Industrial Relations Taskforce Part 1: Report & Recommendations

"On 12 April 2000, the Victorian Minister for Industrial Relations, the Honourable Monica Gould MP, announced the creation of an Industrial Relations Taskforce to conduct an independent inquiry into the system of industrial relations in Victoria. In particular, the Taskforce was required to consider the Government's industrial relations policy in the light of seeking to achieve a balance of social and economic objectives. The Taskforce was directed to take into account the needs of more vulnerable groups within the community, the interests of employers and employees, and the requirements for jobs growth and investment confidence in this State...Within its Terms of Reference, the Taskforce considered the effects of the current system of workplace regulation applying to Victorian employees, in particular to those employees not covered by federal awards, certified agreements or Australian workplace agreements. The majority of the Taskforce concluded that there are deficiencies within these federal laws, and that a significant number of Victorian employees are being disadvantaged under this system. A full list of Taskforce recommendations is provided at Appendix 5 to this report." -- from the Executive Summary, p. 13.