WorkChoices

The Howard Government amended the Workplace Relations Act 1996 with the Workplace Relations Amendment (Work Choices) Act 2005, which came into effect in March 2006. 

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Political cartoon by Alan Moir for the Sydney Morning Herald (2006), from the Bob Hawke Collection

Research evidence about the effects of the Work Choices Bill - Group of 151.pdf

Report against the Work Choices' Bill by academics (2005)

🡕 Full report available

Changes resulting from the WorkChoices Act included:

  • the introduction of a national industrial relations system to replace separate state and federal systems;
  • the establishment of the Australian Fair Pay Commission to replace the Australian Industrial Relations Commission for the determination of minimum wages;
  • the exemption of companies with fewer than 101 employees from unfair dismissal laws;
  • and increased restrictions on industrial action.

WorkChoices was supported by some employers but attracted significant opposition from unions. In response, the ACTU launched the ‘Your Rights at Work’ campaign.

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Selection of union magazine covers from 2005, from the Bob Hawke Collection, RH79/47/WorkChoices Folder 1

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Your rights at work campaign sticker, from the Bob Hawke Collection, unprocessed

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Nurses rights at work campaign bookmark (NSWNMA, 2005), from the Bob Hawke Collection, unprocessed

Watch Bob Hawke discuss WorkChoices and the ‘Your Rights at Work’ campaign.

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Political cartoon by David Pope (2006), from the Bob Hawke Collection

The campaign also involved support for Kevin Rudd, who opposed WorkChoices and promised to abolish it once elected during the 2007 Federal election campaign.

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Sources

For information on the library's collection, visit the Bob Hawke Guide or explore the Bob Hawke Collection.

WorkChoices