On 1 March 2007, the new federal Independent Contractors Act 2006 (Cth) (IC Act) came into force. The principal significance of this legislation is that engagers of labour will be able to take on staff on independent contracts, without concern that any State laws will affect the wages or general...

Economic pressure and a hyper competitive work environment has intensified working hours and work stress across Australian business and industry - and perhaps no more acutely than in the professions. Lawyers - particularly those in private practice - know well that the stress induced by the...

This paper will consider whether a system based on private contracting by individuals has the capacity to develop a right to fair treatment at work; the extent to which common law principles are able to contribute to that development; some of the inadequacies of enforcement under the common law;...