Fair Work Act 2009

The Fair Work Act of 2009 aims to provide a balanced framework for cooperative and productive workplace relations that promotes national economic prosperity and social inclusion for all Australians through:

• Establishing workplace relations laws that are fair to workers, flexible for businesses, promote productivity and economic growth and take into account international labour obligations;
• Ensuring a guaranteed safety net of fair, relevant and enforceable minimum terms and conditions through the National Employment Standards, modern awards and national minimum wage orders;
• Ensuring that this guaranteed safety net can not be undermined by the making of statutory individual employment agreements of any kind;
• Assisting employees to balance their work and family responsibilities by providing for flexible working arrangements;
• Enabling fairness and representation at work and the prevention of discrimination by recognising the right to freedom of association and the right to be represented, protecting against unfair treatment and discrimination, providing accessible and effective procedures to resolve grievances and disputes and providing effective compliance mechanisms;
• Achieving productivity and fairness through an emphasis on enterprise‑level collective bargaining underpinned by simple good faith bargaining obligations and clear rules governing industrial action; 
• Acknowledging the special circumstances of small and medium‑sized businesses.

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