Hancock Report

The Hancock Report was a report on the Australian system of industrial relations system by the central government. The report argued for a centralised industrial relations system centred on award and argued against decentralisation and enterprise bargaining [1]. The report's findings were handed down in 1985 and started a long debate over industrial relations in Australia[2].

In 1983, the government commissioned Professor Keith Hancock to examine the operation of the industrial relations system and to make recommendations as to its future direction [3]. The Report of the Committee of Review into Australian Industrial Relations Law and Systems was presented to the government in 1985 [4].

The report provided a comprehensive assessment of Australian industrial relations and made many recommendations regarding changes to the system[5].

The Hancock Report's made general conclusions about Australia's system of conciliation and arbitration:

In relation to registered organisations and the requirements for registration, the committee sought a balance between the interest of employees and employers in being able to have bona fide associations that were registered and the need for representation of employees and employers to be on an orderly and stable basis. The committee therefore recommended a wider statutory test[6].

Many of the Hancock Committee's recommendations, including some of the more controversial ones such as the establishment of a Labour Court and new enforcement provisions, were adopted by the Industrial Relations Bill 1987, which was introduced into Parliament in May 1987 [7]. However, with the subsequent dissolution of Parliament, this Bill lapsed and a revised Bill (the Industrial Relations Bill 1988) was introduced after the Government was returned.

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