The Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC) (for Queensland state awards and agreements) and Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) (non-Queensland Government link) (for federal awards and certified agreements) are the independent industrial tribunals empowered by legislation to approve industrial instruments.

Industrial instruments are defined to mean an award, certified agreement, Queensland workplace agreement, industrial agreement, enterprise flexibility agreement, an order about labour market programs, apprentices and trainee’s wages and conditions, or an outworker’s code of practice.

Australian workplace agreements are approved by the Office of the Employment Advocate (non-Queensland Government link). Once approved or registered with the relevant authority, the conditions of the instrument are legally binding on the employers and employees to whom it is applicable.

About 17% of the Queensland workforce is not covered by any award or agreement (i.e. award free). However these employees are entitled to certain minimum conditions of employment provided for in the Act and may make their own private agreements with their employer about other entitlements.

State awards:
What is a state award, who does it apply to?

Federal awards:
What is a federal award, difference between state and federal awards?

Certified agreements:
What is a certified agreement?

Queensland workplace agreements:
What is a Queensland workplace agreement?

Industrial agreements:
What is an industrial agreement?