The IRSSA was formed in 1961 and was the second such group established in Australia (and closely followed the establishment of the first industrial relations society in New South Wales in 1958).  Professor Kingsley Laffer, who was a central figure in the foundation of the NSW Society and the first editor of the Journal of Industrial Relations, encouraged the formation of a society in this State. The first informal meeting of the Society was conducted on 1^st August 1961 at the University of Adelaide. This meeting felt that there was sufficient support to justify the establishment of a Society in South Australia. This meeting was arranged by Professor K. J. Hancock and conducted by Commissioner J. H. Portus, and it elected an interim committee to make recommendations on the constitution of the Society in South Australia. These recommendations were submitted to the first general meeting held on 18th September 1961, where after adopting the Constitution, the following Office-Bearers were elected:

• President, Mr. Commissioner J. H. Portus;
• Vice-Presidents, Mr. L. B. Bowes, Mr. R. E. Hurst, Mr. D. R. Toovey; Secretary, Professor K. J. Hancock;
• Treasurer, Mr. R. A. Jones
• Committee, Mrs. M. Dosa, Mr. E. S. Johnson, Mr. G. C. Martin, Mr. J. Robinson, Dr. D. H. Whitehead, Mr. F. Wycherley.

The First Annual Report of the Society indicated a membership of 56 members:—

• Trade Union - 17; Management - 18; Government - 9; Academic -  9; Others, including legal profession - 3 .

Important roles in the establishment of the SA Society were played by present and past IRSSA life members:

·         Professor Keith Hancock AO (the first State Secretary and later the fifth National President - Adelaide University, Flinders University and later Senior Deputy President of the AIRC) who also arranged the first informal meeting;

·         John Portus OBE (the first State President and AIRC Commissioner) – who also chaired the first informal meeting;

·         Lindsay Bowes AM (Department of Labour and Industry, first State Vice President and the fourth National President); and

·         John Cross (Chrysler Motors Australia and later AIRC Commissioner).

 Others involved in the early years of the Society included:

·         Arthur Scriven (General Motors Holden);

·         Reg Hurst (Electrical Trades Union and later became the Speaker of the SA House of Assembly);

·         Harry Krantz OAM (Federated Clerks Union); and

·         Muriel Dosa (Clothing Trades Union).

A list of early Office-bearers can be accessed here. 

By the ninth Annual Report in 1970, the Society had a membership of 125:—

• Trade Union - 41; Management - 42; Government - 24; Academics - 7; Others, including legal profession - 11.

The South Australian Society has a long and proud tradition of conducing regular seminars and meetings and hosting both national and state conventions. It has supplied no less than eight National Presidents to the Australian parent body over the years.

Early administrative support for the Society was provided by organisations such as the University of Adelaide, Department of Labour and Industry (now known as SafeWork SA), the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc (now part of Business SA), the United Trades and Labour Council of SA (now known as SA Unions) and the Industrial Relations Court and Commission of SA (now the South Australian Employment Tribunal).

During the Society’s sixty years, it has developed from an entirely voluntary organisation to the point where it engages a professional secretariat to conduct some of its day-to-day administrative affairs. The committee of management is however the decision-making body, and it remains a fully volunteer board. The committee generally meets on a monthly basis and is responsible for the management of the Society including organising the membership events, conducting its financial affairs, setting membership rates, and fostering the study and understanding of industrial relations issues within the community and amongst its members.

Over the years, the committee of management has included many leading members of the national and state industrial tribunals, industrial relations professionals and union leaders, nationally recognised academics, community organisation leaders and high-profile members of the legal profession.

The Patron of the Society is The Hon. Greg Stevens