It's quite uncommon for the Industrial Commission to officially comment on the way any industrial organisation goes about its business.

However, in a recent move that took us totally by surprise, Queensland's Industrial Commission offered the following comments. The setting was a public hearing, when the first-ever Award for Property Managers was being approved.

We always hoped that we were doing a good job, but nothing's sweeter than having your work officially recognised!

COMMISSIONER: "Perhaps before I conclude I should just make one final statement and that is that I am generally aware that the parties to this award have spent a long time in negotiating the provisions of the new awards and I think that you should be commended on the efforts.

The fact that you've been able to continue to reach agreement on all matters is probably something of a rarity in industrial relations and certainly the Commission appreciates the goodwill and the cooperation that the parties extend to one another as well as to the Commission . . ."

That's quite a compliment, but what does it mean for Queensland's real estate industry?

What it really indicates is that the industrial relations organisations serving the industry seem to have found the balance between regulation and freedom of choice.

Others might call it win-win.

And that's got to be good, hasn't it?