The Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements provide information about the Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Portfolio. Through its portfolio agencies, the Australian Government takes a national leadership role in education and training and aims to maximise the ability of working age Australians to participate in the workforce and to improve the productive performance of enterprises in Australia. The Australian Government works with various industries, State and Territory Governments, other Australian Government agencies and a range of contracted service providers to provide high quality policy, advice and services for the benefit of Australia.

The Portfolio was created as a result of the Administrative Arrangements Order (AAO) of 3 December 2007 and comprises the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) and the following statutory agencies:

• Australian Fair Pay Commission XE "Australian Fair Pay Commission"  Secretariat;
• Australian Industrial Relations Commission XE "Australian Industrial Relations Commission"  and Australian Industrial Registry XE "Australian Industrial Registry"  (AIRC/AIR XE "AIRC/AIR" );
• Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership Ltd (Teaching Australia);
• The Australian National University (ANU);
• The Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Ltd (Carrick Institute);
• Comcare XE "Comcare" , the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission (SRCC), and the Seafarers’ Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Authority (Seacare Authority);
• Office of the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC);
• Workplace Authority; and
• Workplace Ombudsman (previously the Office of Workplace Services).

In addition to the creation of the Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (EEWR) portfolio, the AAO also resulted in:

• The abolition of the Education, Science and Training (EST) and Employment and Workplace Relations (EWR) portfolios with the majority of their functions transferring to the new Education, Employment and Workplace Relations portfolio.
• The transfer of the following functions and agencies from the former EST portfolio to the Innovation, Industry, Science and Research portfolio:
  • the Science, Research and Innovation function
  • Anglo-Australian Telescope Board (AATB)
  • Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)
  • Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)
  • Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO)
  • Australian Research Council (ARC)
  • Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
• The transfer of the following function from the former EST portfolio to the Resources, Energy and Tourism portfolio:
  • Radioactive Waste Management
• The transfer of the following functions and agencies from the former EWR portfolio to the Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs portfolio:
  • Community Development Employment Projects
  • Disability Support Pension
  • Indigenous Business Australia (IBA)
  • Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA).
• The transfer of the following function as a result of the AAO of 25 January 2008 from the Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs portfolio:
  • Families and children have choices and opportunities.

The former government created the Workplace Authority as a statutory body from 1 July 2007, following the transfer the Office of the Employment Advocate function from the former Department of Employment and Workplace Relations to the Workplace Authority.

Figure 1 shows the portfolio structure and outcomes.

Figure 1:  Portfolio structure and outcomes

Additional estimates and variations — Portfolio level

Additional estimates statements are being provided for the following portfolio agencies:

• Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations;
• Australian Fair Pay Commission XE "Australian Fair Pay Commission"  Secretariat;
• Australian Industrial Relations Commission and Australian Industrial Registry;
• The Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Ltd;
• Office of the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner;
• Workplace Authority; and
• Workplace Ombudsman.

The portfolio is seeking changes to funding of $572.3 million (including capital) through annual appropriations.  The changes are:

1. Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

• $10.7 million for departmental outputs;
• $3.3 million for departmental equity injections; and
• $492.2 million for annual administered expenses.

2. Australian Fair Pay Commission XE "Australian Industrial Registry"

• a reduction of $2.3 million for departmental outputs.

3. Office of the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner

• a reduction of $3.0 million for departmental outputs.

4. Workplace Authority

• $45.8 million for departmental outputs; and
• $14.2 million for a departmental equity injection.

5. Workplace Ombudsman

• $7.6 million for departmental outputs; and
• $4.0 million for a departmental equity injection.

The reasons for the variations are outlined in the additional estimates statements for each agency.