Podcasts

Kingston Reid’s ‘A word to the WISE’ podcasts cover a range of Workplace Relations,
Employment and Workplace Health & Safety issues for professionals working in this area.

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify

5 May 2020
Featured
May 5, 2020
1 May 2020
All Podcast
May 1, 2020

All Podcasts

Understanding the Impact of Changes to Workplace Laws

S04E04 Individual employment arrangements

7 March 2023
22.39

Description
Shelley Williams and Emily Baxter discuss the new pay secrecy, fixed term contracts and flexible work provisions and how they impact employers.
S04E03 Preventing sexual harassment

25 January 2023
29.32

Description
From 6 March 2023, there will be changes to sexual harassment laws under the Fair Work Act. Christa Lenard and Shelley Williams explain the new protections to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace and what they mean for employers.
S04E02 Protected industrial action

21 December 2022
21.45

Description
From 6 June 2023, there will be changes to protected industrial action and the way the Fair Work Commission can deal with intractable bargaining disputes. Lucy Shanahan and Michael Mead discuss these changes and what the impact might be for employers.
S04E01 The new world of workplace bargaining

14 December 2022
14.00

Description
Steven Amendola and Brendan Milne discuss the new world of enterprise bargaining under the Government’s new legislation.

Delving into the Outcomes from the Jobs and Skills Summit

S03E04 The political tug-of-war over migration

4 October 2022
19.03

Description
Christa Lenard and Michael Stutley discuss the Government’s immediate initiatives to address the migration and skills shortage.
S03E03 Engaging your employees – what’s changing?

26 September 2022
28.28

Description
Michael Mead and Lucy Shanahan discuss the matters relating to the way, and terms under which employees are engaged, and offer advice for employers on the proposed amendments.
S03E02 Workplace respect, productivity and flexibility

16 September 2022
20.43

Description
Shelley Williams and Liam Fraser discuss the Government’s objectives including boosting job security and wages and creating safe, flexible and productive workplaces.
S03E01 The Industrial Proposals

9 September 2022
31.17

Description
Alice DeBoos and Steven Amendola discuss the industrial proposals outlined in the outcomes document following the Jobs and Skills Summit.
The HSU Elections: Should You Be Worried?

27 July 2022
14.37

Description
Following the recent elections in the Health Services Union, Partner Lucy Shanahan and Senior Associate Luke Maroney discuss the resulting impact on industrial strategy and reinvigoration of campaigns within the sector.
A Roadmap Towards Respect – a year on

12 April 2022
15.34

Description
One year in, and with a Federal Government election looming, Partner Christa Lenard, Senior Associate Sophie Baartz, and Ombpoint’s Managing Director Lindall West, take a look at what has happened in relation to implementation during the last year and discuss whether the roadmap is working and what this means for employers and employees.
Building workplace culture virtually

23 February 2022
34.02

Description
After almost two years of remote work, many organisations are realising they may not be able to return to the office as they’ve always known it. In today’s podcast, Nicole Maughan, Paige O’Shea and Azuhr’s Claire Jenkins look at how you can nurture a successful culture —  when you can’t rely on being in the office.
Pt II: Actions don’t speak louder than the written words

18 February 2022
20.58

Description
A week on from the High Court’s ruling on Jamsek and Personnel Contracting, Partner’s Christa Lenard and Michael Mead deep dive into the Personnel Contracting case and discuss the differences in the two decisions, the effects and implications of the rulings, and provide tips for employers managing these issues moving forward, including how future litigation might now unfold.
Actions don’t speak louder than the written words

10 February 2022
14.20

Description
In light of the High Court’s significant independent contracting decisions delivered in Jamsek and Personnel Contracting, Partners Christa Lenard and Michael Mead discuss the impact of the decision in characterising workplace relationships moving forward.
Sunshine, Spritz and setting up for 2022

21 December 2021
22.03

Description
As we come to the end of a busy year for everyone, Partners Alice DeBoos and Michael Mead take time to talk about the ER, IR and HR issues that will exercise their minds over their summer break and factor into the Australian Workplace Relations landscape for 2022. Grab yourself an Aperol Spritz and hear from them about the things that are likely to be significant for 2022.
Risks of COVID, how do you protect your workplace?

1 October 2021
22.58

Description
Christa Lenard and John Makris discuss mandating COVID vaccinations in the workplace, as the number of vaccinated Australians rise, and those states which have been in lock down start to reopen.
A casual conversation revisited

9 August 2021
20.58

Description
Alice DeBoos and Christa Lenard discuss the recent Hight Court decision in WorkPac and Rossato regarding casual employment in Australia.  There is now certainty as to the definition of a ‘casual employee’.
Casual Conversion Conundrum

17 May 2021
26.59

Description
Katie Sweatman and Shelley Williams discuss all things casual employment, the only ‘reform’ not to get thrown out of the IR Omnibus Bill.
An empowered workplace culture

3 May 2021
14.41

Description
Christa Lenard is joined by Peitra Moffat, Managing Director of Ombpoint, and Jane Thorpe, ex Executive Director of Employee Performance and Conduct, NSW Department of Education, to discuss the launch of Ombpoint, Australia’s first independent workplace Ombudsman service, helping workplaces manage and change their cultures and reform the traditional ways of dealing with conflict.
[email protected] Report – Employer Obligations

15 April 2021
12.54

Description
Miriam Power and Helen Beech discuss the expanded employer obligations for preventing and responding to sexual harassment in the workplace.
Family & domestic violence: workplace obligations

8 December 2020
20:42

Description
Christa Lenard and Erica Elliott are joined by Regan Mitchell of Weave Youth & Community Services to discuss employers’ legal obligations in respect of family and domestic violence and what can be done to support their employees.
Out with the old and in with the (re)new(ed)

19 November 2020
14:04

Description
New safety laws have just been enacted in Western Australia. Now the countdown begins until commencement. Miriam Power and Oliver Marshall discuss some of the key features of the laws including wider application, industrial manslaughter, increased penalties and insurance prohibitions.
Enterprise Bargaining

13 November 2020
36:56

Description
Alice DeBoos and Duncan Fletcher discuss whether enterprise bargaining is dead, or just resting its eyes!

Management and Mental Health 

S02E03 The Dismissal

25 September 2020
12:14

Description
Michael Stutley and Miriam Power discuss the procedural steps for terminating employment where an employee can no longer perform the inherent requirement of his or her role due to mental illness.
S02E02 The independent medical examination

2 September 2020
32:39

Description
Michael Stutley and Miriam Power are joined by Dr Tom Lee to discuss the importance of the independent medical examination on managing concerns.
S02E01 Finding a path through the maze

12 August 2020
18:33

Description
Michael Stutley and Miriam Power discuss the issues facing employers where management of performance or conduct becomes a matter of managing a mental health concern.
Is a contractor truly a contractor?

24 July 2020
26:44

Description
Christa Lenard and Shelley Williams discuss recent Federal Court decisions, CFMMEU v Personnel Contracting and Jamsek v ZG Operations Australia and their implications on engaging independent contractors.
Is it really over?
14 July 2020
31:19
Description
Alice DeBoos and Lucy Shanahan discuss the concepts of ordinary and customary turnover of labour and employment for a specified task or period.
A ‘Casual’ Conversation – Unpacking Rossato
26 May 2020
26:35
Description
Alice DeBoos and Christa Lenard will discuss the implications of the Federal Court decision in WorkPac and Rossato and what this means for current and future casual employees.

How to manage investigations within NSW Health

S01E01 How you prepare for an investigation
21 May 2020
17:18
Under the Managing Misconduct Policy
Description
Alice DeBoos and Lucy Shanahan discuss the process and preparation of an investigation.
S01E02 Conducting an investigation
21 May 2020
25:33
Under the Managing Misconduct Policy
Description
Alice DeBoos and Lucy Shanahan discuss getting the investigation underway.
S01E03 Closing an investigation
21 May 2020
19:17
Under the Managing Misconduct Policy
Description
Alice DeBoos and Lucy Shanahan discuss making the findings, the role of the decision maker and the steps that need to be taken once the decision is made.
S01E04 An investigation is over, now what?
21 May 2020
20:21

Description
Christa Lenard and Rachel Bevan discuss managing the aftermath of a misconduct investigation.