Commissioner Sharon Durham
Fair Work Commission
Sharon Durham was appointed to the Fair Work Commission in 2023. Prior to her appointment, she served as Chief of Staff to the Queensland Minister for Industrial Relations, Education and Racing. Sharon was instrumental in delivering Australia’s first labour hire licensing scheme – which criminalised wage theft – and in developing the Queensland Government’s response to silicosis that ultimately led to a complete ban on the manufacture and installation of engineered stone in Australia.
Sharon began her career as an Industrial Officer with the Queensland State Service Union and later with the Queensland Council of Unions (QCU). She led multi-union bargaining and represented the QCU in test cases and inquiries that led to landmark outcomes in gender pay equity, workplace bullying and improved entitlements for working families.
Having held senior roles in the construction industry, the health sector and government, Sharon appreciates the competing interests that parties bring to any negotiation, as well as the positive impact that outcome-focused collaboration can have on bargaining and dispute resolution.
Sharon’s career has been defined by a deep commitment to fairness and equality in the workplace – values that continue to define her work at the Commission.