This document provides information about the Employment and Workplace Relations Portfolio which comprises the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) and the following statutory agencies:

• Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) and Australian Industrial Registry (AIR) ;
   
• Comcare and the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission (Comcare) ;
   
• Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA);
   
• National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC ); and
   
• Indigenous Business Australia (IBA).

The Office of the Employment Advocate (OEA), the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal (DFRT) and the Remuneration Tribunal (RT) although not statutory agencies, operate as single entities within the department.

There have been changes to the structure of the portfolio since the Portfolio Budget Statements 2004-05 (PBS) were tabled in May 2004. The changes result from the Administrative Arrangements Orders (AAO) of 24 June 2004 , 26 October 2004 and 16 December 2004 , and other administrative changes within the portfolio.

Portfolio changes include:

• The transfer of the Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) to the portfolio from the Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs portfolio. There are no changes to the IBA Budget Statements tabled in the Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs 2004-05 Portfolio Budget Statements (Budget papers 1.12).
   
• On 7 February, the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC) Office was transferred to DEWR. The Office provides occupational health and safety services to the Commission. DEWR will receive section 31 revenue from NOHSC for the services delivered until June 2005. From 2005-06, DEWR will be directly appropriated to deliver these services.
   
• Outcome changes for DEWR include:
  • An increase in outcomes from two outcomes to three and retitling of Outcome 1 as follows:
    • Outcome 1 has changed from ‘An effectively functioning labour market’ to ‘Efficient and effective labour market assistance’.
       
    • There are no changes to Outcome 2 ’Higher productivity, higher pay workplaces’.
       
    • Outcome 3 ‘Increased workforce participation’ has been created, effective from January 2005.
       
• Changes that affect DEWR outputs include:
   
  • The transfer from the Department of Family and Community Services (FaCS) of responsibility for working age payments and Administered programmes including Employment Assistance and Other Services, Rehabilitation Services, Green Corps, the Personal Support Programme (PSP), Payment to Voluntary Work Agencies, and the Job Placement, Employment and Training Programme (JPET).
     
  • The transfer of Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) and the Business Development and Assistance Programme (BDAP) from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services (ATSIS) , which previously reported through the Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs portfolio.
     
  • The addition of the Office of the Australian Safety and Compensation Council, following the transfer of responsibility for these functions from the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC) to DEWR.
     
  • The addition of the Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner . This body has been established administratively by the Australian Government to foster improved occupational health and safety performance in the building and construction industry.

Part C Section 1 details changes to outputs.

• Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR); and
• Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) and Australian Industrial Registry (AIR).

The funding for the other agencies within the portfolio remains unchanged.

The portfolio is seeking additional funding of $403.8m and has identified savings of $0.012m in 2004-05. Additional estimates funding comprises:

(a) Department of Employment Workplace Relations

• $6.2m for departmental outputs;
• $371.5m for administered expenses; and
• $25.7m for administered assets and liabilities.

(b) Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) and Australian Industrial Registry (AIR)

• $0.4m for departmental outputs.

The revised portfolio appropriations and their impact on agency outcome appropriations are detailed in the respective sections in Part C of this document.

Map 1: Structure of outcomes for the portfolio