This brief passage from a recent Fair Work Commission decision explains the legal principles involved when interpreting modern awards and enterprise agreements.
“Consideration
[27]
The principles that apply to the interpretation of enterprise agreements are well-settled and need not be repeated here. In essence, the task is to ascertain the objective meaning of the relevant provisions by reference to the text, context and any objectively manifested purpose or common intention of the parties. The context includes the text of the enterprise agreement as a whole, as well as the circumstances in which the agreement was made.”
National Tertiary Education Industry Union v The University of Melbourne (2026) FWC 2721 delivered 20 July 2026 per Colman DP