53. Special allowances for Woolclassers

[Varied by PR724570, PR729479, PR740884, PR762308, PR774088, PR799473]

NOTE 1: Regulations 3.33(3) and 3.46(1)(g) of Fair Work Regulations 2009 set out the requirements for pay records and the content of payslips including the requirement to separately identify any allowance paid.

NOTE 2: See Schedule C—Summary of Monetary Allowances for a summary of monetary allowances and method of adjustment.

53.1 Fares and travelling allowances for expeditionary employees

[53.1(a) varied by PR724570, PR729479, PR740884, PR762308, PR774088, PR799473 ppc 01Jul26]

(a) An employee will be reimbursed all fares, or be compensated for motor vehicle expenses at a rate of $1.00 per kilometre, to travel the most direct route to and from the shed at the commencement and conclusion of a period of engagement at a shed from the closest of:

(i) the employee’s place of residence;

(ii) the employee’s previous place of work; or

(iii) the place of engagement.

(b) In cases where the employee is discharged for incompetence or misconduct or breaches of the agreement signed before commencement of the shed, no return fares nor return expense allowance will be paid.

(c) When an employer offers an employee accommodation in accordance with this award, and the employee does not use the accommodation, the allowances in clause 53.1 will not be payable.

(d) The vehicle allowance, as specified above in clause 53.1(a), applies only where an employee actually uses their vehicle to travel to and from the shed.

(e) The fares, as specified above in clause 53.1(a), are paid only where they are actually incurred and this does not include airfares unless agreed at the time of engagement.

[53.1(f) varied by PR724570, PR729479, PR740884, PR762308, PR799473 ppc 01Jul26]

(f) An allowance at the rate of $104.77 per day will be paid by the employer to the employee for all expenses incurred (other than fares) while the employee is actually proceeding to and from the place of employment.

[53.1(g) varied by PR724570, PR729479, PR740884, PR762308, PR799473 ppc 01Jul26]

(g) The allowance will be calculated at the rate of $4.36 per hour from the time of departure of the employee from the place of engagement or from the permanent residence until the employee arrives at the place of employment.

(h) When an employee is about to return from the place of employment the allowance will be calculated on the same basis from the time of departure until arrival at the place of engagement or permanent residence.

53.2 Allowance for delay between commencement of sheds on the same holding

The following allowance applies where 2 sheds are situated on the same holding and are the property of the same owner and where the work at the second shed starts immediately after the work at the first is completed and the same Woolclasser (but not a Shearing shed expert) is employed for the 2 sheds:

(a) A Woolclasser will be paid an allowance for any delay between the cut out of the one shed and the starting of the other, calculated at the delay rate set out in clause 53.3.

(b) Should, however, properties intervene, such sheds must not be considered as sheds on the same holding, and no allowance will be payable.

53.3 Allowance for delays for Woolclassers paid at piecework rate

(a) In the event of the employer failing to start shearing on the day fixed by the contract the employer will pay the employee for the time kept idle, a daily amount of 10% of the appropriate guaranteed weekly minimum rate for the classification of the employee; provided:

(i) the Woolclasser is ready to start on the day fixed; and

(ii) the failure to start is not caused by wet weather or other unforeseen natural causes such as fire, flood, or earthquake or any other act of God.

(b) The number of stands to be taken into account when calculating the allowance will be the maximum number of stands actually occupied by Shearers during the shearing.

(c) The allowance set out in clause 53.3 will be in full satisfaction of all claims by the employee arising out of the failure to start on the part of the employer.

(d) The rates in clause 53.3 will only apply where an employee is paid the piecework rate.

2. Definitions

[Varied by PR734194, PR774744, PR777262, PR795663]

In this award, unless the contrary intention appears:

Act means the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth).

all purposes means the payment will be included in the rate of pay of an employee who is entitled to the allowance, when calculating any penalties or loadings or payment while they are on annual leave (see clause 18.2(a)).

broadacre field crops means grains, seeds, grasses, silage, legumes, fibre, flowers, and other crops grown as part of a broadacre mixed farming enterprise.

broadacre mixed farming enterprise:

 means a farming enterprise consisting of the growing of broadacre field crops as defined;

 includes the rearing, management, and grazing of livestock;

 means a farming enterprise which combines both; or

 means a farming enterprise which in addition to any of the above grows other crops, for the purposes of crop rotation or the rearing, management, and grazing of livestock as part of a mixed farming enterprise.

[Definition of casual employee inserted by PR734194 from 27Sep21; varied by PR777262 from 27Aug24]

casual employee has the meaning given by section 15A of the Act.

NOTE: Section 15A of the Act was amended with effect from 26 August 2024. Under clause 102(3) of Schedule 1 to the Act, an existing employee who was a casual employee of an employer under section 15A as it was immediately before that date is taken to be a casual employee of the employer for the purposes of section 15A after that date.

casual pieceworker means a Shearer, Crutcher or Woolpresser engaged as a casual employee and paid the piecework rates in accordance with Part 9—Shearing Operations.

crutching includes all the operations for which rates are prescribed in this award. The meanings of the words crutch, Crutcher and crutched are similarly extended.

cut out means the completion of the shearing or crutching of the last sheep shorn or crutched at the termination of the shed.

defined benefit member has the meaning given by the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 (Cth).

double-fleeced means a sheep carrying 2 years’ fleece.

employee means national system employee within the meaning of the Act.

[Definition of employee organisation inserted by PR774744; substituted retrospectively by PR795663 ppc 01Jul24]

employee organisation has the meaning given by section 12 of the Act.

employer means national system employer within the meaning of the Act.

[Definition of enterprise inserted by PR774744 from 01Jul24]

enterprise has the meaning given by section 12 of the Act.

exempt public sector superannuation scheme has the meaning given by the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 (Cth).

expeditionary employee means a woolclasser or Shearing shed expert who commences on the day as agreed for commencing shearing and resides on the property for the duration of the shearing. Expeditionary employees are entitled to free board and lodging.

experience in the industry means all and any experience in the industry as described in clause 4.2 of this award.

farm and livestock hand means an employee performing the work described in the classifications which apply to such work in Part 6—Broadacre Farming and Livestock Operations of this award and who is not a piggery attendant, poultry worker or any employee classified under Part 9—Shearing Operations.

found employees are employees who are supplied with up to 5 meals per day during the course of shearing or crutching; such meals are to be provided by the employer together with suitable accommodation.

keep is where a farm and livestock hand is employed on the ‘with keep’ rate as prescribed in this award, ‘keep’ will mean good and sufficient living accommodation and good and sufficient rations of sufficient quantity; sound, well-cooked and properly served by the cook or the cook’s offsider; but it will not include accommodation under a roof or cooking when circumstances render such accommodation or cooking impracticable.

livestock means all animals used in primary production including insects.

MySuper product has the meaning given by the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 (Cth).

NES means the National Employment Standards as contained in sections 59 to 131 of the Act.

on-hire means the on-hire of an employee by their employer to a client, where such employee works under the general guidance and instruction of the client or a representative of the client.

ordinary hourly rate means the minimum hourly rate for an employee’s classification specified in clauses 32, 37, 47 and 51—Minimum rates plus any allowances specified as being included in the employee’s ordinary hourly rate or payable for all purposes.

pastoral industry has the meaning given in clause 4.2.

piggery attendant means an employee who is employed by an employer who is exclusively, wholly or substantially engaged in the raising and breeding of pigs, and who performs duties described in the classifications in Part 7—Pig Breeding and Raising of this award.

poultry worker means an employee who is employed by an employer who is exclusively, wholly or substantially engaged in the raising and breeding of poultry, and who performs duties described in the classifications in Part 8—Poultry Farming of this award.

ram stags are rams that have been castrated when they are 18 months or older.

rams are male sheep that are more than 6 months old.

shearing is where:

 the employee takes off the belly wool first and lays it aside, and, when required by the employer, the employee shears over the tail when shearing the first side; and

 in opening the fleece at the neck and belly, the machine or both blades of the shears will be kept under the wool and close to the skin, so as to avoid twice cutting and where the employee does not run the machine or shears through the fleece so as to break it down the centre or the back.

shearing cook means an employee who cooks for 6 or more employees who are engaged for shearing or crutching operations.

shearing shed expert or expert means an employee who is competent to perform experting duties at a shearing shed as described in clause 50.8 in accordance with the requirements of the employer or a representative (such requirements to be specified at the time of engagement).

shed means shearing shed or, in relation to crutching work performed other than at a shed, the property, station or location where crutching work is or will be undertaken.

silviculture and afforestation means planting, pruning, fertilising and any other activity in or in connection with the establishment or cultivation of trees in forests.

[Definition of small business employer inserted by PR774744 from 01Jul24]

small business employer has the meaning given by section 23 of the Act.

standard rate means the hourly rate payable to a farm and livestock hand level 2 in clause 32.1.

station cook means an employee who cooks for station hands and/or other station personnel.

stud ewes are ewes with tags in their ears from which rams are bred for sale or station use. The term does not include ewes of the flock which have tags in their ears for the purpose of identification other than for stud purposes.

wet place means a place where the clothing of the employee becomes wet or a place where the employee has to stand in water or slush so that the employee’s footwear becomes saturated.

woolclasser means a person who is registered as such and who is employed in or in conjunction with a shearing operation. A woolclasser who performs the additional duty of shearing shed experting at the one shearing will, for the purposes of this award, be deemed to be employed as a woolclasser and not as an expert.

woolpresser means a person who presses wool shorn or crutched; weighs, brands and stores the wool; presses and closes the bales; and performs additional duties as directed.

[Definition of workplace delegate inserted by PR774744 from 01Jul24]

workplace delegate has the meaning given by section 350C(1) of the Act.