Rate My Professor Louise Thornthwaite

Louise Thornthwaite is an Honorary Professor in the Department of Management at Macquarie University and Deputy Director of the Centre for Workforce Futures. She holds a PhD from the University of Sydney obtained in 1991, a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours from the University of New South Wales awarded in 2010, and a Bachelor of Economics with First Class Honours from the University of Sydney conferred in 1986. Beginning her academic career in the field of industrial relations, Thornthwaite has maintained continuing appointments across management and law faculties and is recognized as Professor of Management and Employment Relations. Her research specializations encompass employment and discrimination law, public sector employment relations, industrial relations, human resource management, work and family policy, employer associations, social media policies at work, regulatory pluralism in HRM, and the effects of digital technologies on legal norms and employee rights.

Thornthwaite has produced 105 research outputs, comprising 54 journal articles, 14 book chapters, and 12 commissioned reports. Prominent publications include 'Regulating HRM: the limits of regulatory pluralism' (2023, International Journal of Human Resource Management, with Sharron O'Neill), 'The internet, the web and social media: the promise and practice of e-voice' (2020, with Craig MacMillan and Alison Barnes), 'Social media and work: an emerging privacy' (2016), 'Chilling times: social media policies, labour law and employment relations' (2016), 'Long service leave, the labour market, and portability of entitlements' (2014, with Ray Markey), and 'Work-family balance: international research on employee preferences' (2002). She has directed or contributed to key projects such as 'Early childhood education and care pay and conditions research: final report' (2023, with Sheila Degotardi and Rebecca Mitchell), 'National Heavy Vehicle Chain of Responsibility (COR) Final Report' (with Sharron O'Neill and Daryll Hull), 'Evaluating approaches to regulating WHS in the Australian road freight industry' (with Sharron O'Neill), and 'The impact of digital technologies on institutions, legal norms and employee rights in employment relations' (2017). Thornthwaite has acted as an expert witness in cases before the NSW Industrial Relations Commission, including Crown v Public Service and Professional Officers' Association Award in 2022, chaired the Journal of Industrial Relations in 2022, and presented an invited talk at a European Commission workshop. Her scholarship has advanced knowledge on bias regulation, psychosocial hazards, and sustainable workforce futures in Australia.