7Functions of Council

7 Functions of Council

7 Functions of Council

(1) The Council has such functions as are conferred or imposed on it by or under this or any other Act.

(2) In particular, and without limiting subsection (1), the Council has the following functions:

(a) to advise and make recommendations to the Minister generally on the clothing industry and outwork practices in the clothing trades, including the impact of developments in that industry on outworkers,

(b) to advise the Minister on the level of compliance of sectors of the clothing industry with their obligations (whether or not voluntarily undertaken) to ensure that outworkers receive their lawful entitlements,

(c) to make recommendations about the means by which compliance with those obligations might be encouraged and enforced,

(d) to foster the adoption and observance of self-regulatory mechanisms, such as the Homeworkers Code and the Target Code, through consultation with the Code of Practice Committee, clothing industry retailers and manufacturers, relevant industrial organisations and other interested persons and bodies,

(e) to support changes to the Homeworkers Code that the Council considers might increase its effectiveness in ensuring that outworkers receive their lawful entitlements,

(f) to promote, as may be appropriate, the Homeworkers Code, the Target Code and any similar code and any code made under this Act, and persons who comply with those codes,

(g) to facilitate consultation between clothing industry retailers and relevant industrial organisations concerning the making and implementation of voluntary industry agreements such as the Target Code relating to outwork practices in the clothing trades,

(h) to conduct education programs, and to disseminate information, relating to outworkers and the clothing industry,

(i) to advise and make recommendations to the Minister on the operation, and any amendment to or revocation of the mandatory code (if in force) and the scope of any exemptions that should be given by the regulations,

(j) to make the reports referred to in this Part.

(3) The Council may provide advice, and make recommendations, to the Minister even though the Minister has not requested it to do so.