New Penalty Payment and Superannuation Recovery Powers for the Industrial Magistrate's Court
Industrial Relations Amendment Bill 2026
Legislative Assembly
Legislative Council
Assent
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
The industrial magistrate's court can split civil penalties between multiple people; it can make them jointly liable for the full amount.
The court must pay penalties to the Treasurer, the applicant, or a directly affected person.
Employees are considered directly affected persons for certain penalty payments.
The court can order unpaid superannuation contributions to be paid into a complying fund.
Compliance notices can force a person to calculate and pay unpaid wages or superannuation.
The WA Branch of the AMA is treated as an organisation of employees under the Act.
Actions taken by the Arbitrator, Board, Commission, or Registrar since August 2002 are confirmed as lawful.
The Debate
What different members said when this bill was debated:
Simone Mcgurk ALP
“I move: That the bill be now read a second time. The bill before the house today will make a number of technical amendments to the Industrial Relations Act 1979. Employees derive minimum employment entitlements from awards, industrial agreements and legislation.”