The Turnbull government has appointed three new members with business backgrounds to the workplace tribunal, including ex-Howard government staffer and former head of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Peter Anderson.

The appointments come as eight members of the Fair Work Commission have resigned or retired early since 2014 and former vice-president Graeme Watson quit in disgust this year at what he called a "partisan, dysfunctional and divided" tribunal.

Mr Anderson, who was an adviser to former workplace relations minister Peter Reith and a well-regarded representative of the International Labour Organisation, was made a deputy president along with Alan Colman, employment partner with corporate law firm Corrs Chamber Westgarth.

Peter Anderson, who was ACCI chief executive for six years, has been made deputy president of the Fair Work Commission. Alex Ellinghausen

Sarah McKinnon, the head of workplace relations for the National Farmers Federation and a former senior lawyer with the Department of Employment, was appointed commissioner starting on May 1. She is expected to replace former Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Jeff Lawrence when he retires that month.

Senator Eric Abetz praised Ms McKinnon's diligence and understanding of complex legal issues, noting "my office and I worked closely [with her] on number of issues in my time as [employment] minister".