In Paroo Shire Council v Mason [2024] ICQ 11, the Industrial Court of Queensland reviewed an appeal regarding the classification of an employee under the Queensland Local Government Industry (Stream A) Award – State 2017. The appellant, Paroo Shire Council, contested the decision that Ms Barbara Mason, employed as a Tourism Team Leader, should not be classified as a "senior officer" due to her position not meeting the criteria outlined for a department head in the award. The council argued that the Tourism Team represented an operationally distinct unit and that Mason, as its leader, was essentially the principal decision maker or manager of a department, thereby constituting her role as that of a department head. However, the court, focusing on the definitions within the award and the actual role and reporting structure of Mason's position, found that she did not fulfil the criteria to be considered a department head. The original decision was set aside, and the application was remitted to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission to be redetermined according to law, with no order as to the costs of the appeal.
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