In this submission, QAMH urges the Commission to prioritise the following actions to ensure the proposed SCHADS Award reforms achieve their intended outcomes without undermining the Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Sector. These measures are critical to safeguard service continuity, protect workforce wellbeing, and support lasting reform. The actions we recommend are:
Delay commencement and maintain the ERO:
Postpone the introduction of the new classification structure and the revocation of the Equal Remuneration Order (ERO) until sustainable funding is secured and role classifications are agreed. Removing the ERO prematurely risks undermining hard-won pay equity. Only then should a staged implementation begin, with red-circling provisions at the role level to protect current wages and prevent workforce disruption.
Provide clear, role-specific guidance:
Develop and disseminate detailed, role-specific guidance in partnership with the sector to ensure consistent classification across jurisdictions and service types, particularly for smaller and regional providers lacking industrial relations expertise.
Formally recognise Lived Experience roles:
Classification descriptors must explicitly acknowledge the unique value of Lived Experience. This is essential to reflect the contribution of peer workers and ensure their equitable inclusion.
Refine Award clauses:
Review and clarify key Award provisions, including minimum engagement, higher duties, first aid, superannuation, and cancellation policies, through transparent sector consultation to ensure alignment with diverse service models.
Without these actions, well-intentioned reforms risk intensifying workforce pressure, disrupting service delivery, and reducing access to vital supports for people with mental health challenges.
