Inside IR
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23 ก.ค. 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.
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Looking Ahead to 2026 – Trends, Challenges and Opportunities | Listen here
2025 in Review – Lessons, Wins, and What Shaped the Year | Listen here
Episode 32: Enterprise agreements, disputes and the status quo – complexity for employers
Recorded 1 June 2026
In this episode of Inside IR, Rohan Doyle and Mitchell Brennan use the recent Full Federal Court decision in AMWU v Opal Packaging Australia (May 2026) to explore the real-world implications of complexity in enterprise agreements. With four decision-makers across three forums arriving at four different interpretations of a relatively common status quo clause, the case is a stark illustration of enterprise agreement complexity, and how status quo clauses can be a source of competitive advantage for employers, potentially stalling workplace change for lengthy periods. Rohan and Mitchell unpack the practical risks of broadly drafted dispute resolution and status quo provisions and offer guidance for employers on simplifying these clauses and using the bargaining table - not the courtroom - to achieve clarity.
A must-listen for employers, HR and IR professionals grappling with complex legacy enterprise agreement drafting in an environment that demands greater clarity and agility.
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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.
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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
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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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Melbourne
Perth
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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