The NSW industrial umpire will move out of Sydney's CBD and into the city's west, despite opposition from judges and staff - and the state's midwives.
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The state government on Friday announced it had signed a new lease at Parramatta to house the Industrial Relations Commission of NSW.
The move, expected either late 2018 or early 2019, is part of the state coalition government's pledge to cut government office space in the CBD by at least 100,000 square metres by 2021.
"The IRC relocation to Parramatta will be a huge boost for the area that will help grow the local economy, create new jobs and reduce congestion in the Sydney CBD," Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said.
The decision has been slammed by the Labor opposition with spokesman Adam Searle calling it an attack on the industrial umpire.
"This move is not about moving the IRC closer to people but to try and hide the fact it now sits in fewer locations and provides fewer services to the community than it once did," Mr Searle said.
The Public Service Association - on behalf of the commission's staff - lodged a dispute in February over the planned move in their own court.
Industrial manager Evan Cole at the time called for the commission to stay in the CBD, saying it was a more practical location for people to lodge papers.
The move has been branded "nonsensical" by the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association.
The union claims timely access to the IRC will not be possible at its new location, which could impact the effectiveness of its dispute resolution.
"This will be a significant impediment to accessing justice for the hardworking nurses and midwives we represent across the state and it will apply a further dislocation by way of additional travel to Parramatta," general secretary Brett Holmes said in a statement.
Australian Associated Press
