Industrial Relations Society of New South Wales upcoming events

IRSNSW Webinar - When the Weather Turns Extreme: Managing Employees, Safety and Workplace Disruption (23 September 2026)

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 03:00:00 GMT

When the Weather Turns Extreme: Managing Employees, Safety and Workplace Disruption

Extreme weather events are no longer just an operational inconvenience — they are a growing workplace relations and safety challenge. With what is being forecast as one of the strongest El Niño events on record now commencing, and the prospect of hotter, drier conditions and heightened disruption ahead, this is a timely opportunity to discuss how workplaces can prepare and respond.

Join the NSW Industrial Relations Society for a practical lunchtime webinar on managing employees, safety obligations and business disruption when severe weather affects the workplace.

This session will explore the key issues employers, employees and practitioners need to navigate when heat, storms, floods, bushfires and other extreme weather events disrupt work, including safety duties, consultation, stand-downs, leave arrangements, flexible work, communication and continuity planning.

Alana Rafter

Alana Rafter is a Sydney-based employment and industrial relations lawyer specialising in work health and safety. She advises employers on WHS duties and compliance, manages regulator inquiries and notices, briefs boards on WHS risk, and has contributed submissions to Safe Work Australia's Best Practice Review of the Model WHS Laws. She is a frequent speaker on psychological safety and psychosocial risk management.

Lisa Qiu

Lisa Qiu is a Partner and Solicitor at Citation Legal in Sydney, acting for clients nationally. She advises employers on bullying, harassment, discrimination and workplace investigations — the psychosocial risks that sit at the heart of WHS duties. Dual-qualified in employment and migration law, she appears in the Fair Work Commission, the Federal Circuit and Family Court, and before the Australian Human Rights Commission.

When: Wednesday 23 September 2026
Where: Zoom Webinar (Online)
Time: 1.00pm – 2.00pm AEST
Cost: Complimentary for all IRS members nationally*
Non-members $30.00

*Members of IR Societies around Australia are very welcome to join. An IR Society affiliate code can be obtained from membership@irsnsw.org.au.

Careers in Industrial Relations – a panel event for students and professionals (08 October 2026)

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Careers in Industrial Relations – a panel event for students and professionals

Interested in a career in industrial relations? Join us for an engaging panel discussion on industrial relations careers!

Hear from experienced industrial relations practitioners, including representatives from AirServices Australia, Deloitte, the NSW Premier's Department, and the Electrical Trades Union. Panellists will reflect on their careers and share tips on building the skills needed to succeed in industrial relations. Audience members will have the chance to ask questions and meet the panellists. Light refreshments will be provided.

This careers event is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students from any university and early career professionals interested in working in industrial relations.

Following the careers event, the annual Kingsley Laffer Memorial Lecture, featuring Chris Evans, the Australian Anti-Slavery Commissioner, will be held at 6pm at the University of Sydney. Attendees at the careers event are warmly welcomed to attend this important industrial relations lecture. Further details and registration for the lecture can be found here.

This careers event is organised in collaboration with the University of Sydney Work and Organisational Studies Student Society.

Georgia Winlaw

Georgia is a Workplace Integrity Consultant at Deloitte. Georgia is an alumni with a Dalyell Scholarship and Bachelor of Commerce in Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management and Psychological Science.

Yolla Abousleiman

Yolla is Acting Head of Legal at the ETU. Yolla is an employment and Industrial Relations lawyer with 10+ years' experience advising and representing workers; with a Juris Doctor in Law, and a Bachelor of Business & Commerce in Human Resources Management and Industrial Relations. Yolla has delivered work all across the field of Industrial Relations, with experience in the Fair Work Commission, state and federal courts.

Dean Astley

Dean is an Associate Director in Bargaining and Legal Strategy at Premier’s Department of NSW. Dean is a senior industrial relations practitioner with over 10+ years of experience across Government and Union fields. Dean has a Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Arts from Western Sydney University.

Andrew Milwain

Andrew is a Senior People Partner at AirServices Australia. Andrew is a Postgraduate Qualified Human Resources Professional (MAHRI) with over 20 years experience in both HR / ER roles, across Retail, Supply Chain, Aviation, Mining and Construction sectors. Andrew is a proud Alumni of The University of Sydney Business School with a Masters in Human Resources Management and Industrial Relations.

Newcastle Branch | Annual Conference (30 October 2026)

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 21:45:00 GMT

IRS Newcastle Branch

Annual Conference

Date: Friday 30 October 2026

Time: 8.45am - 4.15pm

Venue: Belmont 16 Footers

Resilience in a Changing World: AI, Well-being and regional transformation in a Changing World

Resilience is an increasingly important concern for employers, leaders, and workers facing uncertain environments. It refers to the capacity of individuals, teams, and organisations to adapt, recover, and thrive in the face of disruption. In the Hunter region and Newcastle, resilience is particularly relevant as workplaces navigate economic restructuring, workforce transformation, and the transition to net zero, and the impacts of recent crises.

Perspectives on resilience vary. While some view it as an individual capability, others emphasise the role of workplace conditions, leadership, organisational culture, and support systems. These perspectives raise important questions about worker well-being, fairness and rights, and employer responsibilities in fostering resilient workplaces.

As organisations respond to disruption and uncertainty, developing adaptive capacities that support recovery, learning, and sustainable performance is essential (Norris et al., 2008). This conference provides a forum for exploring resilience in the context of industrial relations, organisational change, individual worker well-being, and regional transformation.

INTRODUCING OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Peter Baines OAM, Leadership and Resilience Keynote Speaker

Leadership Matters

Peter Baines OAM is one of Australia's most respected leadership experts — not through theory, but through lived experience at the sharp end of some of the world's most challenging environments.

Over a 22-year career with the NSW Police, Peter led teams in response to acts of terrorism and natural disaster on a global scale. He was part of the leadership response to the 2002 Bali bombings and went on to lead international teams following the Boxing Day Tsunami of 2004, heading multiple rotations into Thailand to identify those who lost their lives.

Read more about Peter Baines here..

Kara Bombell, Co-Founder of EthicAI

Kara Bombell is a strategic operations leader, AI ethics advocate, and passionate change agent with over 15 years of experience transforming businesses from the inside out. As the founder of EthicAi, she brings a rare blend of commercial acumen, human-centred leadership, and technical insight to help businesses navigate the future of work responsibly.

Throughout her career, Kara has held senior executive roles across leading digital and creative agencies, including Chief Operations Officer at Digitas and Executive Director of Operations at Isobar. She’s led large-scale transformation initiatives, implemented enterprise-wide automation systems, built high-performing teams across multiple countries, improved profit margins and delivery efficiency, all while championing ethical leadership and inclusive culture.

Kara’s passion lies in making complexity simple, designing systems that scale, and embedding AI and automation in ways that serve both business goals and the greater good. She holds formal qualifications in Artificial Intelligence and Business Strategy from MIT Sloan, and in Ethics of AI from the London School of Economics reinforcing her commitment to technology that empowers people.

Kristy Bagnall, Head of People Operations at NGM Group

Kristy Bagnall spent 15 years at the Greater Bank before moving into Head of People Operations at NGM Group, the joint merger between the Greater Bank and Newcastle Permanent Building Society. Her roles include Employee Relations Advisor, HR Business Partner, HR Manager and Head of Human Resources. With a Bachelor of Business and an MBA, Kristy builds strong leadership in the HR and People fields.

Vice President Mark Gibian SC, Fair Work Commission

Vice President Mark Gibian SC has been serving as the Vice President of the Fair Work Commission since his appointment in June 2024. Prior to this role, he was a barrister at HB Higgins Chambers in Sydney, commencing his practice in 2002 and being appointed Senior Counsel in 2018.

His principal areas of practice include industrial and employment law, administrative law and judicial review, migration and refugee law, human rights and discrimination law and disciplinary proceedings.

Mr Gibian SC was a lecturer in industrial law at the University of Sydney from 2005 to 2018 and a lecturer in employment law at the University of New South Wales from 2005 to 2007. He was also a member of the New South Wales Bar Association’s Industrial, Employment, Health and Safety Committee from 2018 until 2020. Mr Gibian SC has a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of Sydney.

Seth Pathiyil, Origin Energy and previously AGL Energy

Leading Through Uncertainty — How do you keep a team performing and engaged when the future is unclear, and the stakes are high?

Seth has nearly three decades of experience leading complex operations across the energy, oil and gas, and industrial sectors — in Australia and internationally.

At AGL Energy, Seth led Liddell Power Station through its closure — one of Australia's most significant energy transition moments — delivering strong safety and environmental outcomes while supporting employees through a transition that was planned, respectful, and humane. As Head of the Hunter Energy Hub and Chair of its Diversity and Inclusion Committee, he played a central role in shaping what regional energy transition can look like when it's done with genuine care for people and community.

Seth is known for operational excellence, safety leadership, and building teams that perform under pressure. He recently joined Origin Energy, where he is focused on safe and reliable plant performance and helping to write the next chapter for the Eraring site.

Panel Discussion with the Fair Work Commission's Deputy President Saunders and Commissioner Crawford - "Adaptation and approach to resolving disputes in light of the expansion of individual claims, and AI-assisted self-represented applicants"

Deputy President Tony Saunders, Fair Work Commission

DP Saunders was appointed to Commissioner in 2015 and has held the Deputy President position since December 2018. Prior to the FWC, he was a Barrister specialising in workplace relations litigation including employment claims, industrial disputes, discrimination and work health and safety. DP Saunders was admitted as a solicitor in 1998 and was later rated in Doyle’s Guide to the Legal Profession as a leading employment and workplace relations barrister.

Commissioner Stephen Crawford, Fair Work Commission

Commissioner Crawford joined the Fair Work Commission in 2023. Prior to his appointment, he was the Assistant National Secretary and Senior National Legal Officer of the Australian Workers’ Union national office. Commissioner Crawford has been Principal at Crawford de Carne Lawyers and Legal Officer with the Australian Workers’ Union Greater NSW Branch. He has a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Newcastle.

Additional speakers to be announced...

For any enquiries, please email newcastle@irsnsw.org.au

*Booking terms and conditions apply

Save the Date - Meet the Commission and End of Year Member Drinks (05 November 2026)

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 06:30:00 GMT

Save the Date: IRSNSW AGM and Patron's Lunch (26 November 2026)

Thu, 26 Nov 2026 01:00:00 GMT

Save the Date | 21st ILERA World Congress (30 August 2027)

Sun, 29 Aug 2027 14:00:00 GMT

Welcome from the ILERA Organising Committee Chair

On behalf of the Organising Committee, it is my great pleasure to invite you to join us in Sydney, Australia, for the 21st International Labour and Employment Relations Association World Congress, to be held from 30 August to 3 September 2027.

Widely recognised as a leading international forum for labour and employment relations scholarship and practice, the ILERA World Congress brings together scholars, practitioners, policymakers, judges, union representatives and business leaders from around the world.

The ILERA 2027 World Congress theme: “Sustainable, productive and decent work: Bridging research, practice and policy” reflects ILERA’s commitment to supporting analytically rigorous and policy-focused research.

Hosted by the Australian Labour and Employment Relations Association (ALERA) and International Labour and Employment Relations Association (ILERA), this landmark event will bring together leading researchers, practitioners and policymakers from across the globe to explore the most pressing issues in labour and employment relations today.

We look forward to welcoming you to Sydney in 2027.

Yours sincerely

Judge Leigh Johns OAM
ILERA Organising Committee Chair

Save the Dates

Call for Papers and Special Sessions Opens: 1 June 2026
Call for Papers and Special Sessions Closes: 28 September 2026
Early Bird Registration Opens: 1 August 2026
Early Bird Registration Closes: 14 February 2027
Standard Registration Opens: 15 February 2027
ILERA World Congress: 30 August – 3 September 2027

Call for Papers and Special Sessions Open

We are pleased to announce that the Call for Papers and Special Sessions, for the 21st ILERA World Congress is now open.

We welcome submissions across the following thematic tracks in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:

Track 1: Decent, Safe and Healthy Work
Track 2: Equitable and Inclusive Work
Track 3: Strong and Democratic Institutions for Work
Track 4: Decent and Productive Work in the Digital Age
Track 5: Work and Sustainable Climate Transitions

To view the Congress tracks in detail, please visit here.

Submission Details

Abstract Submissions Open: Monday 1 June 2026
Abstract Submission Deadline: Monday 28 September 2026
Notification to Authors: Friday 13 November 2026

How to Submit

Abstracts must be submitted via the below online portals:

Call for Papers Portal here.
Call for Special Sessions Portal here.

Please review the submission guidelines on our website for full details on word limits, formatting requirements and presentation types.

Early Bird Registration

Early bird registration opens 1 August 2026. We encourage all intending presenters to register early to secure the best available rate.

Sponsorship Prospectus Launch

The ILERA World Congress 2027 offers a unique opportunity to connect with a global audience of leading IR academics, practitioners, legal professionals, and policymakers. If your organisation is interested in supporting the Congress, we invite you to express your interest below and our team will be in touch with further information.

Stay Informed

To receive updates on the program, registration and all Congress news, we invite you to register your interest via our website.

We look forward to welcoming you to Sydney in 2027.

Warm regards

Congress Secretariat
ILERA World Congress 2027
E: enquiries@ilera2027.com
W: www.ilera2027.com