About: Workplace Relations Act 1996

The Workplace Relations Act 1996 was an Australian law regarding workplace conditions and rights passed by the Howard government after it came into power in 1996. It replaced the previous Labor Government's Industrial Relations Act 1988, and commenced operation on 1 January 1997. In 2005, the Howard government passed the Workplace Relations Amendment Act 2005 which came into effect on 27 March 2006 and substantially amended the original Act, bringing in the WorkChoices changes to Australian labour law. The Act was repealed on 1 July 2009 by the Fair Work Act 2009 passed by the Rudd Labor Government, and superseded by the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009.