The Government and Related Employees Appeal Tribunal Act 1980 ("GREAT Act") requires employer and employee organisations to nominate a panel of up to 40 persons to act as their representatives on the Government and Related Employees Appeal Tribunal for a period of up to three years.

The Public Employment Office ("PEO") is defined in the GREAT Act as the employer of staff employed by Departments listed in Schedule 1 of the Public Sector Employment and Management Act 2002 (PSEM Act), for the purposes of membership of GREAT.

The PEO has from time to time, nominated its representatives from a list of current and retired persons recommended by your organisations.

A schedule of the current employer representative panel is attached to this circular. The term of the current panel will expire on 9 October 2004.

I am therefore seeking recommendations for the new panel representatives.

I ask that if your organisation is a lower user of GREAT you submit a nil return, and if you are a medium user you should submit two recommendations with, where possible, one female and one male nominee. If you are a high user of GREAT you should submit three to four recommendations.

Nominations should reflect an appropriate gender balance and represent people from non English speaking backgrounds and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. A recommendation form is attached.

Recommendations for the new panel representatives must be received by 27 August 2004 and may be forwarded to facsimile 8243 9489.

You should note if the nomination is approved the term of the new panel is from 10 October 2004 to 9 October 2007.

Successful nominees will be advised in writing and a schedule of the new panel of employer representatives will be forwarded to you in the near future.

Any enquiries on this matter should be directed to Cathy McInnes on telephone number 9228 3598.

C Gellatly
Director-General