On 5 June 2014, Commissioner Newall in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission heard a dispute lodged by the PSA regarding lack of consultation by Legal Aid NSW over a restructure which resulted in staff cuts from seven to three in the Grants Records Section.

In his recommendation that the parties meet to properly discuss workloads, Commissioner Newall also placed a significant focus on the welfare of the remaining staff and his preparedness to hear further from the parties if requested.

He made particular reference to the 1997 Consultative Arrangements Policy and Guidelines and stated that this policy made it “abundantly clear” that consultation with the PSA must occur before decisions are made and implemented.