Industrial Relations Society of New South Wales upcoming events

Newcastle Branch | Annual Conference (30 October 2026)

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 21:45:00 GMT

IRS Newcastle Branch

Annual Conference

Date: Friday 30 October 2026

Time: 8.45am - 4.15pm

Venue: Belmont 16 Footers

Resilience in a Changing World: AI, Well-being and regional transformation in a Changing World

Resilience is an increasingly important concern for employers, leaders, and workers facing uncertain environments. It refers to the capacity of individuals, teams, and organisations to adapt, recover, and thrive in the face of disruption. In the Hunter region and Newcastle, resilience is particularly relevant as workplaces navigate economic restructuring, workforce transformation, and the transition to net zero, and the impacts of recent crises.

Perspectives on resilience vary. While some view it as an individual capability, others emphasise the role of workplace conditions, leadership, organisational culture, and support systems. These perspectives raise important questions about worker well-being, fairness and rights, and employer responsibilities in fostering resilient workplaces.

As organisations respond to disruption and uncertainty, developing adaptive capacities that support recovery, learning, and sustainable performance is essential (Norris et al., 2008). This conference provides a forum for exploring resilience in the context of industrial relations, organisational change, individual worker well-being, and regional transformation.

INTRODUCING OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Peter Baines OAM, Leadership and Resilience Keynote Speaker

Leadership Matters

Peter Baines OAM is one of Australia's most respected leadership experts — not through theory, but through lived experience at the sharp end of some of the world's most challenging environments.

Over a 22-year career with the NSW Police, Peter led teams in response to acts of terrorism and natural disaster on a global scale. He was part of the leadership response to the 2002 Bali bombings and went on to lead international teams following the Boxing Day Tsunami of 2004, heading multiple rotations into Thailand to identify those who lost their lives.

Meet the Commission and End of Year Member Drinks (05 November 2026)

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 06:30:00 GMT

An invitation from the President
to all IRSNSW Members

The Industrial Relations Society of New South Wales (IRSNSW), together with Honourable Justice Taylor, invites members of the IRSNSW to attend the annual Meet the Commission and End of Year Member Drinks, to be held this year at the NSW Industrial Relations Commission, 47 Bridge Street, Sydney (Entry via Bridge Street entrance).

Date: Thursday 5 November 2026

Time: 5.30pm to 7.30pm

RSVP: 28 October 2026

This is a free event open only to financial members of the IRSNSW, and to student members. Event capacity is strictly limited and will not be extended beyond the allocated number of tickets for this event. One ticket per member only and once the allocation is filled, no further RSVP’s will be accepted.

We look forward to welcoming you on 5 November 2026.

Best Regards

Fiona Corbett
President
On behalf of the Industrial Relations Society of New South Wales Committee

IRSNSW 2026 AGM and Patron's Lunch (26 November 2026)

Thu, 26 Nov 2026 01:00:00 GMT

2026 AGM & Patron's Lunch

THURSDAY 26 NOVEMBER 2026

Members Dining Room Parliament House

Program

11.45am IRSNSW AGM registration commences

12.00pm IRSNSW AGM commences

12.30pm Patron's Lunch commences

3.00pm Patron's Lunch concludes

AGM

Information for members about the AGM is available on the website at IRSNSW committee reports. We invite members to consider nominating for a committee position using the nomination form in the link by 4pm Wednesday 18 November 2026. Please note, as this is a members only page, members will need to login to access this material.

Attendance at the AGM only has no cost, a cost only applies if you are attending lunch.

Patron's Lunch

The AGM and Patron’s Lunch will feature a sit down discussion with our Patron, Anna Booth (Australia’s Fair Work Ombudsman), and Susan Booth, former Fair Work Commissioner, who was appointed by the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations to conduct the Closing Loopholes Review, which was tabled in Parliament in August 2026.

Speakers

Anna Booth, Fair Work Ombudsman, and IRSNSW Patron

Anna Booth was appointed as Fair Work Ombudsman in September 2023 for a 5-year term.

She has extensive and diverse experience in industrial relations spanning more than 45 years, working with unions, private, and public sectors. Anna was most recently Director of CoSolve Pty Ltd. She returned to CoSolve in 2020 after serving as a Deputy President of the Fair Work Commission for 8 years. Before her appointment to the Fair Work Commission, Anna combined her CoSolve directorship with non-executive directorships of ME Bank and IFM and was the non-executive chair of Slater & Gordon Ltd.

Anna spent much of her early career in the union movement. She was the National Secretary of the Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia and a Vice President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions.

Anna has also been Vice President Corporate Affairs at Sydney Harbour Casino and a lecturer at the Macquarie Graduate School of Management and the Australian Institute of Management. She has served on the boards of Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and NRMA Ltd.

She is an accredited mediator under the National Mediator Accreditation System, and holds a Bachelor of Economics (Hons) from the University of Sydney.

Anna is the current Patron of the Industrial Relations Society of NSW.

Susan Booth, former Commissioner of the Fair Work Commission

Susan Booth is a former Commissioner of the Fair Work Commission. She was appointed to Fair Work Australia, as it was then called, in 2011. Before that, she was a Senior Member of the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (2009 to 2011) and Queensland’s Anti‑Discrimination Commissioner (2002 to 2009). As Anti‑Discrimination Commissioner she also chaired the Australian Council of Human Rights Agencies.

She was admitted as a solicitor in 1990 and practised in industrial, discrimination and administrative law, with a strong focus on alternative dispute resolution.

The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations appointed Ms Booth to conduct the joint statutory review of the Closing Loopholes Acts. Her final report was tabled in Parliament in August 2026.

Entry to Parliament House

Entry to Parliament House is via the security gatehouse on Macquarie Street. Upon entry to security gatehouse, in addition to usual security screening processes, all visitors will need to check in via a QR Code via Service NSW app.

Cost (excl GST)

Members $105
Non-Members $155
AGM Only (no lunch) $0

Bookings

If you are not able to pay online at the time of booking and need to pay by EFT, your reservation cannot be confirmed until a copy of your payment receipt has been sent to membership@irsnsw.org.au.
Places are limited so please book early. Bookings will close 19 November.
Members who book for the AGM only should note that lunch is not included in this option.

21st ILERA World Congress (31 August 2027)

Mon, 30 Aug 2027 14:00:00 GMT

Welcome from the ILERA Organising Committee Chair

On behalf of the Organising Committee, it is my great pleasure to invite you to join us in Sydney, Australia, for the 21st International Labour and Employment Relations Association World Congress, to be held from 30 August to 3 September 2027.

Widely recognised as a leading international forum for labour and employment relations scholarship and practice, the ILERA World Congress brings together scholars, practitioners, policymakers, judges, union representatives and business leaders from around the world.

The ILERA 2027 World Congress theme: “Sustainable, productive and decent work: Bridging research, practice and policy” reflects ILERA’s commitment to supporting analytically rigorous and policy-focused research.

Hosted by the Australian Labour and Employment Relations Association (ALERA) and International Labour and Employment Relations Association (ILERA), this landmark event will bring together leading researchers, practitioners and policymakers from across the globe to explore the most pressing issues in labour and employment relations today.

We look forward to welcoming you to Sydney in 2027.

Yours sincerely

Judge Leigh Johns OAM
ILERA Organising Committee Chair

Save the Dates

Call for Papers and Special Sessions Opens: 1 June 2026
Call for Papers and Special Sessions Closes: 28 September 2026
Early Bird Registration Opens: 1 August 2026
Early Bird Registration Closes: 14 February 2027
Standard Registration Opens: 15 February 2027
ILERA World Congress: 30 August – 3 September 2027

Call for Papers and Special Sessions Open

We are pleased to announce that the Call for Papers and Special Sessions, for the 21st ILERA World Congress is now open.

We welcome submissions across the following thematic tracks in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:

Track 1: Decent, Safe and Healthy Work
Track 2: Equitable and Inclusive Work
Track 3: Strong and Democratic Institutions for Work
Track 4: Decent and Productive Work in the Digital Age
Track 5: Work and Sustainable Climate Transitions

To view the Congress tracks in detail, please visit here.

Submission Details

Abstract Submissions Open: Monday 1 June 2026
Abstract Submission Deadline: Monday 28 September 2026
Notification to Authors: Friday 13 November 2026

How to Submit

Abstracts must be submitted via the below online portals:

Call for Papers Portal here.
Call for Special Sessions Portal here.

Please review the submission guidelines on our website for full details on word limits, formatting requirements and presentation types.

Early Bird Registration

Early bird registration opens 1 August 2026. We encourage all intending presenters to register early to secure the best available rate.

Sponsorship Prospectus Launch

The ILERA World Congress 2027 offers a unique opportunity to connect with a global audience of leading IR academics, practitioners, legal professionals, and policymakers. If your organisation is interested in supporting the Congress, we invite you to express your interest below and our team will be in touch with further information.

Stay Informed

To receive updates on the program, registration and all Congress news, we invite you to register your interest via our website.