The HR Cartel Podcast

In this episode, Tim is joined once again by Phil DiBella, founder of Di Bella Coffee and The Coffee Commune, for a raw and direct conversation about the pressure facing Australian small businesses, employers and the hospitality industry.

Phil shares his perspective on why the current political and economic system is making it harder for micro, small and medium businesses to survive, let alone grow. From payroll tax and fringe bene...

In this episode, Tim Dive explains why internal corporate HR teams are heading for a major reckoning over the next three to five years. He breaks down how decades of poor positioning by the HR profession, combined with sweeping workplace law changes under the current government, have created an environment where traditional HR capability is no longer enough. This episode covers: • why HR has shifted too far away from real techni...

The Fair Work Commission says AI is overwhelming the system. We say that's a lie. In this episode, Tim breaks down the real numbers behind the Commission's so-called volume crisis and exposes what's actually driving the explosion in claims. He pulls apart the Fair Work Commission President's own reporting, compares year-on-year application data, and shows that AI accounts for only 24% (of the 70% increase) - a fraction of the incr...

Tim Dive hosts a no-holds-barred episode covering a fresh joint ATO and Fair Work Ombudsman crackdown on contracting arrangements, the industries under scrutiny (construction, road transport, cleaning, IT and more), and how sham contracting risks are being pursued.

He also discusses rising AI disruption and union demands, the push for work‑from‑home rights, and Australia’s energy vulnerabilities, plus practical next steps, a ...

Before you hire anyone else, listen to this episode! Tim explains how small and growing businesses should approach organisation design using strategy as the guide, why it matters, and when to act.

The episode highlights common growth milestones (5, 10, 15, 25, 50+ employees), tells you how to spot problems (broken communication, duplicated roles, shared accountabilities), and contrasts functional versus divisional structures.

Pract...

Tim Dive outlines the top risks Australian employers should prepare for in 2026, focusing on AI being used by employees in disputes and investigations, growing contractor and sham‑contracting exposure, and the rise in Fair Work claims and flexible working disputes.

He offers practical advice on record‑keeping, when to settle versus fight, the high‑income opt‑out for contractors, and urges employers to seek experienced HR/IR support...

Host Tim Dive explains the shift that has occurred over the previous 4 years, and why Leadership styles must change to support small businesses dealing with individual-employee-centered issues, created by new regulations and positive duty obligations.

He outlines five human elements leaders must consider, Physical, Psychological, Social, Philosophical and Capability, and offers practical advice on one-on-one leadership, flexible sy...

Tim makes 3 bold predictions for 2026; DEI will die, the ALP and Unions will continue their rampage on the IR framework to win back popularity, and HR Consultants will try to convince us all they’re leadership experts.

The December 2025 tragedy has resulted in most of the nation finally admitting its government is lacking significant capability. The failures in the IR portfolio are becoming visible everywhere, and the ALP now...

Episode 90 reviews the year and outlines major workplace risks ahead for employers, focusing on wage theft legislation, Fair Work Ombudsman actions, and mounting payroll compliance challenges.

Tim discusses upcoming changes, Payday Super, the NES review (including potential reproductive leave and reduced work hours), the rise in compliance burdens, and how businesses may respond with redundancies, offshoring, and technology.

Practi...

In this episode of The HR Cartel Podcast, we lift the lid on the quiet war being waged against small and medium-sized business owners across Australia. From absurd legal decisions to bureaucratic red tape and a national narrative that assumes employers are always the villain, the warning signs are everywhere.

We break down what’s happening in real-time: how workplace tribunals, regulators, courts, and unions are moving in loc...

We chat at length with HR Cartel Member, Founder & Director of PD Project Delivery, Paul Doherty. We discuss the realities of starting a business, building a team, and the difficulties of the changing "Director" role every business owner faces with growth and success. We discuss the amazing opportunities all people in Australia have at their fingertips, and what kind of attitude passion and drive is needed to succeed in the wor...

We answer the question: Is it now impossible to be an Aussie employer, without breaking the law? 

The answer is frightening. 

We also discuss some of the most recent absurdities, like an employee receiving Qld Long Service after working just 11 days in the State AND being declined for it in Victoria. 

A summary and clarity on the $1B underpayment issue for Coles and Woollies and what it means for the rest of us. ...

Australia’s workplace rules just changed and the cost for small business is about to skyrocket. Tim breaks down award wage hikes, the court ruling that makes annual salaries unpredictable, and why BHP’s 750 job cuts are a warning sign for every SME. Get the steps you must take now to protect your business before the next wave of IR changes hits.

Want to know more about The HR Cartel? https://www.hrcartel.com/

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In this episode, we unpack the growing sense of a coordinated siege against Australian employers. From government policies, to meddling in tribunal proceedings, to blocking employer's seeking support from the Commission, to union campaigns, tribunals operating with selective transparency, and regulators who appear increasingly activist. Small to medium-sized business owners are finding themselves in a storm of compounding pressure.

In this episode of The HR Cartel Podcast, we break down one of the most talked-about industrial relations cases in recent history; the Qantas outsourcing saga that led to a staggering $90 million penalty, including a $50 million pay out to the Transport Workers Union.

We unpack what really happened behind the headlines:

• Why Qantas’ decision to outsource was technically legal and yet they still lost.

• How the rever...

In this episode Tim breaks down the Productivity Roundtable and two hot-button IR reviews that matter to every small and medium employer: the part-time employment review and the “right to disconnect.” Tim explains why rigid minimum-engagement rules are locking potential workers out of the labour market, why more prescriptive right-to-disconnect rules would be pointless, and what practical, low-pain changes employers and...

In this punchy episode, Tim returns to unload on the recent chaos in Australia’s industrial relations scene. With a sharp eye on what’s happening at the Fair Work Commission, the Productivity Roundtable, and the growing overreach of regulators, Tim calls it as he sees it: a system that is increasingly hostile to employers, especially small and medium-sized ones.

From the hypocritical decisions made by Fair Work to the c...

In this week’s episode, I break down the Fair Work Commission’s $66 million decision against BHP under the new “Same Job, Same Pay” legislation, and what it really means for every other employer in Australia. While this case targeted a mining giant, it’s the thousands of small and medium businesses who’ll feel the ripple effects. I unpack how the ACTU’s political powerplay has reshaped the ...

This week, Tim dives into a Fair Work Commission decision that, thankfully, was a win for common sense. After a council worker pushed back on being forced to participate in an Acknowledgement of Country at a routine pre-start meeting, Traditional Corporate HR jumped into overdrive with a misconduct process that ended in termination. But the Commission disagreed. This episode unpacks why the decision matters, how it protects employe...