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[2013] FWCFB 8514
STATEMENT
Fair Work Act 2009
s.285—Annual wage reviews to be conducted
Annual Wage Review 2013–14
(C2014/1)
JUSTICE ROSS, PRESIDENT
SENIOR DEPUTY PRESIDENT WATSON
COMMISSIONER SPENCER
COMMISSIONER HAMPTON
MR ANTHONY COLE
MR TIM HARCOURT
PROFESSOR SUE RICHARDSON
MELBOURNE, 1 NOVEMBER 2013
RESEARCH PROGRAM
[1] On 3 October 2013, the Expert Panel (the Panel) published a draft research program
for the Annual Wage Review 2013–14.1 Submissions and suggestions in relation to the draft
research program were sought by 17 October 2013. No submissions were received.
[2] Accordingly, the Panel confirms the research program as outlined in Attachment A to
this Statement.
[3] Further consultation in relation to the research program, including the contents of the
Statistical Report, will be undertaken. That process will be part of the usual practice of Fair
Work Commission staff in consultation with the Minimum Wages Research Group.
Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer
Price code A, PR543922
1 [2013] FWCFB 7720
WORK AL OF FAIR WORK COME! TR LIA PRESIDENT
AUSTR FairWork Commission
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Attachment A
Annual Wage Review 2013–14 –
Research program
Background
The Annual Wage Review 2012–13 decision stated that the Fair Work Commission (the
Commission) intended to give consideration to a research program for the 2013–14 as soon as
practicable:
“We intend to give consideration to the research program for the Annual Wage Review
2013–14 as soon as practicable and will invite interested parties to lodge research
proposals. The research program will not necessarily be restricted to the parties’
proposals.” 1
In a Statement on 17 July 2013, the President outlined that:
“Before inviting submissions for the Commission’s research program, it is relevant to
note that the Commission has already committed significant resources to a number of
research projects to meet the Commission’s previous research program priorities.
The Commission has also committed resources to the upcoming Australian Workplace
Relations Study2 to be undertaken in 2013-14 which will fill an important data gap at
the enterprise/workplace level on matters that the Commission must take into account
when conducting an annual wage review ... The commitment of resources to these
projects means that there is limited capacity for the Commission to undertake
additional research for the upcoming review. However, we invite submissions to the
research program proposed taking into account the stated constraints, and also invite
comment on the statistical report.”3
The public conference foreshadowed by the President was held on 12 September 2013. Two
research proposals were received from:
the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU); and
the Australian Catholic Council for Employment Relations (ACCER).
The Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (ACCI) gave comments on the research proposals at the public conference on
12 September 2013.
3
Additional information was requested by the President in relation to the research proposals.
The ACTU and ACCER submitted this material on 17 September 2013. Comments regarding
this additional information closed 24 September 2013.
Following these processes, a draft research program was issued by the Panel on 3 October
20134 and comments on the draft program closed 17 October 2013.
All material received was posted to the Commission website.
Research to inform the Annual Wage Review 2013–14
The following research will be published in December 2013:
‘Award reliance’ (by the Workplace Research Centre, University of Sydney)
‘Minimum wages and their role in the process and incentive to bargain’ (by the
Workplace Research Centre, University of Sydney)
Details of these projects are available from the Commission website:
http://www.fwc.gov.au/index.cfm?pagename=wagereview2014&page=research#research
Future Research
Following consideration of proposals and consultations, a number of research projects will be
initiated to inform future annual wage reviews:
Statistical reporting
Statistical reporting on a range of data relevant to annual wage reviews will continue to be
published on the Commission website and will be updated periodically as new data become
available.
The following additional information of disposable income of household types will be
included in the Statistical Report to inform the Annual Wage Review 2013–14:
modelling for single-income households will also include the second earner not
receiving the Newstart Allowance; and
modelling of selected household types will cover a longer time period extending
from 2004 to 2013.
The Statistical Report will also refer to data on costs of child care services by providing a link
to the relevant chapter in the ‘Report on Government Services’ produced by the Productivity
Commission. The 2012 Report on Government Services2 can be viewed at the following link:
http://www.pc.gov.au/gsp/rogs/2012.
2 SCRGSP (Steering Committee for the Review of Government Services Provision) 2012, Report on
Government Services 2012, Productivity Commission, Canberra.
http://www.pc.gov.au/gsp/rogs/2012
http://www.fwc.gov.au/index.cfm?pagename=wagereview2014&page=research#research
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Australian Workplace Relations Study
The Commission is undertaking a linked employer-employee survey to capture the views of
both employers and employees on workplace issues and to collect data on pay equity matters.
It will be the first survey of its kind since the 1995 Australian Workplace Industrial Relations
Survey. In particular, data from the study will assist the Commission in performing its
functions by enabling research for wage setting processes such as annual wage reviews,
research for pay equity matters and the General Manager’s 2015 reporting requirements.
Details of the study are available from the Commission website at:
http://www.fwc.gov.au/index.cfm?pagename=adminstudy
Medium-term research review
The Expert Panel will be conducting a review of its medium term research program. The
review is intended to ensure that the research program is strategically focused, having regard
to research that has already been undertaken, including research ‘gaps’ which are of particular
relevance to the Annual Wage Review.
A process of consultation will be conducted with interested parties in the third quarter of
2014.
Notification of these consultations will be made via the Commission website.
1 [2013] FWCFB 4000, at para. 601.
2 For more information about the Australian Workplace Relations Study, see the Commission website:
http://www.fwc.gov.au/index.cfm?pagename=adminstudy.
3 [2013] FWC 4686, at paras 2–3.
4 [2013] FWCFB 7720.
http://www.fwc.gov.au/index.cfm?pagename=adminstudy
http://www.fwc.gov.au/index.cfm?pagename=adminstudy
