The principal object of this Act of the Queensland Industrial Relations Act 1999 is to provide a framework for industrial relations that supports economic prosperity and social justice by—
(a) providing for rights and responsibilities that ensure economic advancement and social justice for all employees and employers; and
(b) providing for an effective and efficient economy, with strong economic growth, high employment, employment security, improved living standards, low inflation and national and international competitiveness; and
(c) preventing and eliminating discrimination in employment; and
(d) ensuring equal remuneration for men and women employees for work of equal or comparable value; and
(e) helping balance work and family life; and
(f) promoting the effective and efficient operation of enterprises and industries; and
(g) ensuring wages and employment conditions provide fair standards in relation to living standards prevailing in the community; and
(h) promoting participation in industrial relations by employees and employers; and
(i) encouraging responsible representation of employees and employers by democratically run organisations and associations; and
(j) promoting and facilitating the regulation of employment by awards and agreements; and
(k) meeting the needs of emerging labour markets and work patterns; and
(l) promoting and facilitating jobs growth, skills acquisition and vocational training through apprenticeships, traineeships and labour market programs; and
(m) providing for effective, responsive and accessible support for negotiations and resolution of industrial disputes; and
(n) assisting in giving effect to Australia’s international obligations in relation to labour standards; and
(o) promoting collective bargaining and establishing the primacy of collective agreements over individual agreements.
