The WA Government has announced that the state’s councils will be covered by State employment laws from 1 January, 2023.
Most local governments in WA currently operate under Commonwealth employment laws.
The move was first flagged by the independent review in the State industrial relations system in 2018, which identified significant legal doubt about whether local governments could validly operate under the Commonwealth laws.
The Government passed legislation in 2021 to enable WA local governments to move to the State industrial relations system with the Commonwealth’s endorsement. This legislation created a strong transitional process.
“The local government sector is a sizeable workforce in the State and should properly be regulated by WA laws, not laws made over east,” said Industrial Relations Minister, Bill Johnston.
“This has been a lengthy process, which started in 2018. We have created a strong transitional process paralleling what occurred in Queensland when they moved their local governments into their State industrial relations system.”
It is anticipated 137 local governments, eight regional local governments and around 23,000 employees will be covered by the State system.
WA joins Queensland, South Australia and NSW in regulating local governments under State-based employment laws.
“The McGowan Government’s modernised State employment laws that came into effect in June 2022 strengthen protections for workers and ensure a strong industrial umpire in the form of the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission,” said Minister Johnston.
