Australia Proposes Separate Occupational Classification for Mediators

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has proposed introducing Mediator (281241) as a distinct six-digit occupation in the consultation draft of the Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA) 2027. Released on 17 August 2026, the draft places Mediator within the Judicial and Other Legal Professionals unit group and proposes a separate classification for Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner (281231). Under the current OSCA 2024 classification, mediators are included within the broader category of Judicial and Other Legal Professionals not elsewhere classified.

The proposed Mediator classification covers practitioners who facilitate structured dispute resolution in civil, commercial, workplace, community, court-connected, and other disputes, without imposing a binding determination. The ABS draft identifies functions including conducting intake, screening and suitability assessments; undertaking risk and safety screening where appropriate; designing and managing mediation processes; explaining the mediation process, confidentiality requirements and the mediator’s neutral role; facilitating communication and negotiation; applying mediation and conflict-resolution techniques; maintaining impartiality and procedural fairness; managing power imbalances; assisting parties to document outcomes; and maintaining records and reporting requirements. The proposed occupation is assigned Skill Level 1, corresponding to a bachelor's degree or higher qualification, or at least five years of relevant experience.

The proposal follows advocacy by the Australian Mediator and Dispute Resolution Accreditation Standards (AMDRAS) Board, which has sought distinct recognition of mediation within Australia’s national occupational classification. AMDRAS has stated that the existing OSCA 2024 classification captures mediators only under the broader 281299 category and that its submission to the ABS sought clearer definition, classification and measurement of the profession. The ABS consultation on the draft OSCA 2027 remains open until 18 September 2026, after which it will consider feedback before releasing the updated classification in March 2027.