The Industrial Relations Negotiations Program
Delivered jointly by Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer and Melbourne Business School
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18 Aug. 2026
Insight
Australia
- Inside IR: The original podcast equips HR, industrial relations and legal professionals with the latest thinking, covering legislative reform, case developments and workplace IR trends across Australia.
- Inside Employment: The essential podcast for employment lawyers and HR professionals, offering insights on employment law, from workplace disputes and legislative changes to whistleblowing and investigations.
- Inside Safety: Is the go to resource for safety practitioners, senior leaders and directors, covering key issues like psychosocial risks, directors’ duties, contractor management and incident response.
The shifting regulatory environment facing employers
Recorded on 11 June 2026
In this special crossover episode of Inside Employment and Inside Safety, Steve Bell, Tony Wood and Lucy Boyd explore the increasingly complex regulatory landscape facing Australian employers and the growing scrutiny from workplace, safety and human rights regulators.
Steve, Tony and Lucy discuss the rise in regulatory investigations and enforcement activity, the challenges employers face when responding to overlapping regulators, and the Australian Human Rights Commission’s evolving approach to enforcing the positive duty to prevent sexual harassment. They also share practical insights on governance, compliance and how organisations can prepare for greater regulatory scrutiny.
All episodes
Looking Ahead to 2026 – Trends, Challenges and Opportunities | Listen here
2025 in Review – Lessons, Wins, and What Shaped the Year | Listen here
EP33: Negotiating skills for a challenging enterprise bargaining environment – Part 1
Recorded 22 June 2026
As enterprise bargaining becomes increasingly complex, many organisations are rethinking how they prepare for negotiations.
In part 1 of our latest episode of Inside IR, industrial relations partner Rohan Doyle and Melbourne Business School Professor Jennifer Overbeck explore the changing enterprise bargaining landscape, the shifting balance of bargaining power, the role of identity and trust in negotiations, and practical strategies organisations can use to prepare for bargaining more effectively.
This podcast also marks the launch of our Industrial Relations Negotiations Program, developed together with Melbourne Business School.
All episodes
Episode 7: Employment Class Actions
Recorded 3 June 2026
In this episode of Inside Employment, Natalie Gaspar and Lucy Boyd are joined by HSF Kramer Disputes Partner, Melissa Gladstone to explore the rise of employment class actions in Australia and why they have become one of the fastest-growing litigation risks for employers.
Natalie, Lucy and Melissa discuss the factors driving this trend, how employment class actions differ from traditional workplace disputes, and the unique challenges they create for employers. They also share practical steps organisations can take to mitigate risk, including governance, early issue detection and prompt remediation.
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Episode 5: The cost of reputation
Recorded 30 January 2026
In this episode of Inside Safety, Steve Bell is joined by Shane Allison, CEO of Phronesis, to explore the real cost of reputational damage for organisations. Drawing on original research into ASX 200 reputation incidents, they unpack what defines a reputational crisis, why many are foreseeable, and which issues cause the greatest and most lasting harm. From executive misconduct and employee class actions to governance and psychosocial risk, this episode offers practical insights for safety, legal and risk professionals looking to better anticipate and manage reputation risk.
All episodes
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2026 Employment and Workplace Relations in Australia Legal Guide
Everything employers need to know
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Australian industrial relations and workplace reform hub
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Key contacts
Rohan Doyle
Partner, Melbourne
Natalie Gaspar
Partner, Melbourne
Anthony Wood
Partner, Melbourne
Drew Pearson
Managing Partner, Sydney Office, Sydney
Anna Creegan
Partner, Perth
Olga Klimczak
Partner, Perth
Legal Notice
The contents of this publication are for reference purposes only and may not be current as at the date of accessing this publication. They do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Specific legal advice about your specific circumstances should always be sought separately before taking any action based on this publication.
© Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer 2026
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Employment, pensions and incentives
Employment
Industrial relations
Employment, Pensions and Incentives
Australian Industrial Relations and Workplace Reform
Strategic advisory
Rohan Doyle
Natalie Gaspar
Anthony Wood
Drew Pearson
Anna Creegan
Olga Klimczak