Australia, Aug. 23 -- New South Wales Land and Environment Court issued text of the following judgement on July 23:
1. This decision concerns an application for a new award filed by the Industrial Relations Secretary on behalf of the New South Wales Education Standards Authority ("NESA") with the consent of the Australian Education Union New South Wales Teachers Federation Branch ("Federation") on 11 July 2025 ("Application").
2. The Application seeks that the Commission make, pursuant to s 10 of the Industrial Relations Act 1996 (NSW) ("IR Act"), a new three-year award to apply to all persons employed on an ongoing basis, seconded or temporarily employed in the classifications of Chief Education Officer, Principal Education Officer, Senior Education Officer and Education Officer at NESA. The proposed new award will be known as the Crown Employees (New South Wales Education Standards Authority - Education Officers) Salaries and Conditions Award 2024 ("2024 Award").
3. The Australian Education Union New South Wales Teachers Federation Branch ("Federation") is a party to the proposed award.
4. Other than changes to salaries and salary-related allowances and an updated no-extra claims clause, the proposed 2024 Award represents a "rollover" of the Crown Employees (New South Wales Education Standards Authority - Education Officers) Salaries and Conditions Award 2020 (2020 Award) with a three-year term backdated to 1 January 2024.
5. The increases proposed to existing salaries and salary-related allowances are:
1) an average 4.83 per cent increase to salaries and salary related allowances, backdated to the first full pay period on or from 1 January 2024, including:
a) a 3.5 per cent increase to salary and salary-related allowances, and
b) a further increase to align classifications in the proposed 2024 Award with the comparative Department of Education Non-School Based Teaching Service (NSBTS) classification where, after applying the 3.5 per cent increase, the NESA Education Officer salary is below the equivalent NSBTS salary;
2) a 3 per cent increase to salaries and salary related allowances, backdated to the first full pay period on or from 1 January 2025; and
3) a 3 per cent increase to salaries and salary related allowances from the first full pay period on or from 1 January 2026.
Evidence in support of the Application
6. The parties rely on an affidavit affirmed by Deanna Mohr on 4 July 2025.
7. Ms Mohr explained in her affidavit that:
"6. The proposed Award gives effect to increases to salaries and salary-related allowances of an average 10.83 per cent over three years, backdated to the first full pay period on or after 1 January 2024.
7. In my opinion the proposed Award meets the requirements for approval under ss 23 and 146(2) of the Industrial Relations Act 1996 (NSW) (the Industrial Relations Act) for the reasons explained below.
Equal Remuneration
8. The proposed Award provides equal remuneration and other conditions of employment for men and women under the Award who are performing work of equal or comparable value for the reasons that follow.
*Rest of the document can be viewed at: (https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/19835d70a00833a316b53a60)
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
