12/01/2026
The review into gender undervaluation in the SCHADS Award is ongoing after a series of conferences at the end of 2025, conducted by Deputy President O’Neill, were not able to resolve outstanding issues or reach a consensus between interested parties on the classification structure for the revised SCHADS Award.
Due to the low likelihood that an agreement will be reached between the parties, it is anticipated that the Expert Panel will hand down a decision in the new year.
On 16 December 2025, Deputy President O’Neill provided a report to the Expert Panel outlining the outstanding issues that it will need to determine in the new classification structure. These issues largely relate to classification coverage and pay rates.
A hearing was conducted on 19 December 2025, with ASU giving oral submissions. Other interested parties have been given until 6 February 2026 to make written submissions in response to the report. Submissions in reply are due by 20 February 2026, with the Expert Panel’s final decision expected sometime after this.
If you are concerned about what the proposed changes mean for your organisation, reach out to our team of employment law experts to discuss further.