This longitudinal and empirical study compares Australian labour enforcement, predominantly between the New South Wales (NSW) and Commonwealth jurisdictions. It documents the volume of enforcement litigation, inspection and arrears recovery within an Australian state for the first time. These enforcement activities are then compared to equivalent Commonwealth labour enforcement over time, with a particular focus on the activities of the federal inspectorate since the Commonwealth takeover of industrial relations in 2005. This comparison enables three significant claims. First, that contemporary labour enforcement activities have not kept pace with those conducted by inspectorates in the early to mid-twentieth century, most of which were performed by the States. Second, that enforcement has always been a significant part of the Australian industrial relations landscape, reinforcing the conciliation and arbitration system, particularly within the States. And third, those high levels of regulation and labour enforcement played a role in reducing social inequality throughout the mid-twentieth century.