NPAQ says they’re a union. Are they?

No, NPAQ is not a registered union. [Link]

A recent Queensland Industrial Relations Commission case determined that NPAQ is:

• Not a union
• Not an organisation of employees
• Not an industrial association

These terms (union, industrial association etc) are legal terms from the Fair Work Act (QLD) and Queensland Industrial Relations Act.

The Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (the independent workplace umpire for Queensland) judgment found that the constitution of NPAQ does not include any intention to form a trade union or to negotiate and enter into enterprise agreements and no intention or plan to operate as an industrial association or to seek and maintain registration as an industrial association under the IR Act or any other legislation.

Furthermore, the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission found that nowhere in its constitution does NPAQ say that it is or wants to be a trade union. [Link]