An experienced panel of speakers - Brian Welch of Master Builders Association of Victoria, Linda Rubinstein of Australian Council of Trade Unions and Facilitator Nick Ruskin from Phillips Fox will
provide a unique perspective on the Royal Commission into the Building and Construction Industry.
The Royal Commissioner, the Honourable Terence Cole RFD QC, tabled his Final Report (totalling 23 volumes) in Parliament on 26 and 27 March 2003. Linda and Brian will discuss their experiences during the Royal Commission – and provide to members of the Society a synopsis of the key findings.
Linda Rubinstein is a Senior Industrial Officer with the ACTU. She is a lawyer and has been at the ACTU for almost 10 years. Her major responsibilities at the ACTU are industrial legislation and policy and superannuation. Before joining the ACTU, Linda was the industrial officer for the then Liquor Trades Union (now LHMU) Linda is a member of the Advisory Board for the Centre for Employment and Labour Relations Law, Law School, University of Melbourne (CELRL).
Brian Welch is the Executive Director of the MBAV. Brian has held this position since 1994 and prior to joining the MBAV, he held the position of Executive Director of the Building Owners & Managers Association (now the Property Council of Australia). MBAV represents over 5,000 Victorian building businesses and played a significant role in the Cole Royal Commission. Brian himself was the first witness called when hearings commenced in December 2001.
Nick Ruskin is the National Convenor of Phillips Fox’s employment and industrial relations law practice and a Partner in the employment and industrial relations law practice within the Melbourne office of Phillips Fox. Prior to joining Phillips Fox, Nick worked in industrial relations for employer associations, a union and Government and regularly appeared before industrial tribunals. Nick is an external consultant to the International Labour Organisation in Geneva and, along with Linda, is a member of the Advisory Board for the CELRL.
The IRSV would like to thank Phillips Fox for their support of this function.
