The Minns Labor Government has appointed a new Deputy President and four additional commissioners to the Industrial Relations Commission to support new bullying, harassment and workers compensation laws.
The boost to the commission strengthens the state's independent workplace umpire and ensures it is well equipped to deliver timely, fair and effective justice for workers and employers.
The Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) of NSW is the longest continuing industrial tribunal in the world.
Its principal role is to hear and resolve industrial and work, health and safety disputes, settle employment conditions and remuneration for employees primarily in the NSW public sector and local government as well as regulating the terms and conditions of engagement for owner-drivers.
Following the commencement of the Government's workers compensation reforms, the IRC now has an expanded jurisdiction that includes new workers compensation functions including determining if the conduct said to give rise to the injuries was bullying and harassment.
These new functions, which commenced on 1 July, come in addition to recent changes which have added to the IRC's powers including new stop bullying and sexual harassment orders and an enhanced capacity to facilitate return to work for injured workers in the public sector.
The new appointments include one new Deputy President (non-judicial) and four new Commissioners.
New Deputy President role (non-judicial)
Janet McDonald will commence in the role of Deputy President (non-judicial) on 1 July 2026
Ms McDonald has been appointed to the new role of Deputy President (non-judicial). Ms McDonald is a legal practitioner with over 36 years' experience. Ms McDonald was called to the Bar in New South Wales in 2007 and appointed to the IRC as a Commissioner in 2022.
Prior to her appointment to the IRC, Ms McDonald acted as a barrister in a broad range of cases including work, health, and safety prosecutions before the Industrial Court and later District Court of NSW as well as complex disputes in the IRC for NSW government bodies.
The four additional Commissioners will commence in their roles progressively between July and October 2026.
Additional Four Commissioners
Marina Rizzo is a senior legal and industrial relations practitioner with 30 years' experience. She was admitted as a solicitor in NSW in 1996. She has had carriage of many complex high profile public law matters in a broad range of jurisdictions including employment law, industrial relations, anti-discrimination, work, health and safety and two special commissions of inquiry. She led the Employment Law and Industrial Relations Practice Group at the NSW Crown Solicitor's Office and is currently the Executive Director of the Industrial Relations Branch at the NSW Premier's Department.
Ms Rizzo has demonstrated experience providing advice and representation to government agencies on a range of contentious matters including equal remuneration cases, industrial disputes and award proceedings in the IRC and Fair Work Commission. She has effectively collaborated across public sector organisations and unions to progress significant industrial relations reforms including the reinstatement of the Industrial Court of NSW and the establishment of a broad range of public sector industrial relations policies such as the Fair Pay and Bargaining Policy.
Gordon Brock has 32 years' experience as an industrial relations practitioner, He commenced his career as an industrial officer with the United Services Union before progressing to senior positions in the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists, Managers Australia and the Local Government Engineers Association.
Mr Brock has direct experience representing union members in disputes before the IRC and advancing award and enterprise agreement negotiations on behalf of employees. He also has extensive Board and executive level experience and has occupied Board Positions at Vision Super and Local Government Super and has previously been a long-serving executive member of Unions NSW and Hunter Workers.
Julian Arndt was admitted as a solicitor in NSW in 2010. Mr Arndt brings more than 16 years of legal experience in industrial relations to the role, with a particular focus on representing employer and industry interests. Mr Arndt started his career as Associate to the Hon. Justice Cowdroy of the Federal Court of Australia. He then went on to practise at Clayton Utz, before spending more than 12 years at Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors (ABLA), where he was a Director specialising in employment and industrial law.
Mr Arndt has a strong record in the IRC as solicitor advocate on many matters, particularly relating to contract of carriage disputes and related Chapter 6 claims. He also has significant experience in the Fair Work Commission (FWC), including acting as a lead employer advocate in a range of prominent industrial test cases as well as in award, dismissal and bargaining disputes.
Gavin Webb was admitted as a solicitor in NSW in 2014 and brings 12 years of legal experience to the role. For the past nine years, he has served as Chief Legal Officer of the Transport Workers' Union of NSW (TWU). leading the TWU's strategic legal operations and compliance frameworks.
Mr Webb regularly appeared before the IRC on behalf of members, with a recognised specialisation in complex Contract Determinations and Contract Agreements under Chapter 6 of the Industrial Relations Act 1996. Mr Webb has also frequently appeared as an advocate and instructed counsel to represent members on a broad range of industrial matters including enterprise bargaining, industrial disputes and unfair dismissals in the Fair Work Commission (FWC) and Federal Court.
Minister for Industrial Relations Sophie Cotsis said:
"Ensuring workers are paid properly and treated fairly is a priority for the NSW Government and this boost to the IRC ensures the Commission remains an independent, well-resourced tribunal that can effectively promote fairness in the workplace.
"I am pleased to announce the elevation of the highly regarded Commissioner McDonald, and the appointment of four respected legal and industrial relations practitioners as members of the NSW Industrial Relations Commission.
"They each bring a wealth of industrial relations and legal experience and will serve the people of NSW well.
"I congratulate them all and wish them every success in their new roles."
