Dwyer v Alsynite Ply Ltd t/as Alsynite Building Products [1999] QIRC 54 (1999) 160 QGIG 205

Ql 1EENSLA:t'JD GO\'ERNivtFNT [ND!J"'>TRIAL GAZETTF (,lJEENSLAND r;rJVERNMENT INDUSTRIAL GAZETTE f'fa ..::, ,,.,,.. Lawrence Dwyer AND Alsynite Ply Ud t/as ,\isy.oite Buildi11g: Prod11ds (No. B9IO of 1998.i ~\;c.),· .. A.pphcati0n -fur Rein~taiei.ncni ~ .. Redund~1tcy Rear.:on for Disrrrissai f'aHure to Ci.Jl13Ult Ea.rli,:;1. Assuta.n.,:r; of Serurl1y of Emptovn~.::-L,t Dbrrhs;:;,al J{el<l llarsl..l; l~t:JllSt and U11rca~on.ai.11c - Cor:1r":::-fL~Et.10n .\ ~;V'.ifdtd. DEClSJOS On L9 \!fav t 998 Scu.:,::cl's La·,:vyer~, and l:onsuJtanLs n:ade a.JJplica.ti•.Jn. on. heh.a~f of the appiic..t11t fvr ili.:c· r~instate1nent to the μ,osition ·...:f A.1..,rea:dn. at the r~sp,()rh.knt' s Bri~ban(;. \lr·a.rehous;,:•. l.n dur> cr-,urs~ ;~ 1nr...:-cun:ns ord.;a- 1:-lSilrd w"hid1_ inte.r alfa. notified -l..h(.~ pa1li0s t.h:1.t a C(Jnferf"nr:e \\,as tu ht: iie{d bt.:-forc C-~)LJr.. ,.is.:;i.;-nr:r Bechly at the ptenli,,,;,c,, 0f lb.: (JJ.e._nslatid lndust,da.l R,e;l,;i.tior..; ·C'\;n·1n1.issio..:1 n.t.1 1'7 .lune 199>L "'\r~ aifiJa. vi,t cJ .:.::erv1.c~C>: of tl:.1~ a:hrectE)i,s crdcr i]a~ been te~d~r?:d. 1n far:1 t.hc' tc:spuntit.'.Jit Jill P.ut ap:rr,ar .,;.;t ths:: cnnfe1cncv. ,'\ fun.her ;:ru.:-:.rr1pt i.-~-·a:: _r::1ar{c: to convene a cun.ferc~c,.... t)~c,,., :.g·'.ur.: H,c rtJpf)tlfkmt did .aoL a.. l1pi~ar. C,n, a tlnni attempt to hold a ;:,;onf::::.rcn(.·C the rc3p0n,t~-nt did -rl(:,i :J.ppe~r, hut v..a.s r~-pre5:entc-d hy i~u~tr.1Ln;. LadJ5lf} Gr011-p (!K:rt;:-ift~r ·;\JG'): an orgarusat.iun of en~loyer~: regi~tt:red under the ltui1 ,.rtrkit Orgrmis:1tions A.et 191/7. I'h.e .11r,.tL':r di;i n..o~ sNt1e 1t v.1 e11t. .:r, caH-over Or...ct, aia1n ~h~ :r~31xm.dcnt w:is repr;.;s..::.nt~d by the 1'.i.lG. Dlff1culties arose as td liXH.tf a Jat~ ')f hearj.n?; C\Jnverd.e..m: io aU _parties, Th,,, t.:-.ieμhone i0cate.J m. tb.e court rc,01n vJa.'-: taade avaUable to ilie re:pre-senlzJiz:e <>f th::; AIG jn order iilat he :rmg.ht ,::ont:ic! thf rr·.spJr,.dem.. Jn thi::. end rsisu~t .~2 .11,d 2-'.:'· f\!-b1:uary 19~') \N-:Cf':': fixed a~ t11c dat~i .;.>f hrarlu~. Th.f•. r~p!'C."'t::IH:ttivt' of {h.~ AH3 con1rnunicated tJaat fact re, tl1e re.sponden.t over the telephuue. i.11 i.hh•;. ~t..~f-'>t'· the ~eJ1A!/ :lispatched a notif1<.:al1on d hcir;n 6 1) o6ch ,)f the applicant ar.d the :e,,p ..>Eknt. On 16 h,brnary E~9S' ·.he b~•.1:.'.r:.,1 Re?utra.r rt·:e;v,,<l ., fa(...."iinile- frvrn l\rt.onin Paial7P of 21.:5 Brown..; RcA.d 11.;oble Park V1ct.ona purportiug tu he a director of the 1esp-i.m.deot. i' 1'or '1 'Iariet.y ',).f rr:-.a:::ons \1i Pala?:7-o ~ought k1 La---;e rh..:.:: Le~nug Jl;;111<lonvd. (An A.. ustralian Sct:urhies CorruTU.ssion o,n1p.;;...ny ~xu-a.,:t ha.s been tendered. lt 3lu.,w0 til~r ~n. A11L1r~H> Pa.t1z2:J s)f KiHua Park, SeviJle, Vktori:: jg a lHrc-·::.:tnr ot the re.-,-poruient a.std is al~o iB secretary). On the following dcy J :~.H>nmHe tra.n:5n1is.si0n wa.s Sfn.t tc ~.. lr Pal«.zzo inforn:ung him tti~r ~1c h.1,::a!iHg v,,,.15; to go >lhearl aJ!<l warning hLn that Jf h~ did 001 appear the a_ppil{.:,J.Ul ·.P,n~.-. ~-.T~titl-eJ. trJ ha.Yi..' th-.:: rnatwr dean with in hie:: abs::r.ce. Or, 19 .h.~bruary ! 999 d. tdephone m.cs;;age was re-eeived frotn the ,:\lG 1n<l:icati..ng that the C,rouμ would :not b·:. :Jct~ng r,n behalf. of the- rcspn1.1;d.cnt. ·Th.dt avtific:-ttion wa~ confirn1ed it.. \\,Tiiin.g 01 .. 22 FebP.lary 1999. h1 a.a tftvst: c'!'curr1.'?t.ances, ir seer& to n1e that ther.: ~s a.b""JJ~.dant evuien.ct: l,,) suppdH a f1ntiing th3.t tfn:., re~prnrieut Wd.S aw·Ji:e th.dt tt~~ m.1',lf:'T w~s \'et h)r hearmg on 'l2 a;.d z: f'ebruary 1999. The Fe<leiated St,Jremcr, a1.d P"-ckcr:;· lin1on of Empbyccs ,,f A'.l;;cr.:.h.:. fQuc,en<land Branch;. Nl.ich 1.,,,. a,~s for the <Lppl!cHnt 1 p1 ,~s.~-e:: hts •21'.l.:;e 111ere i;:. no reason wh:: ir s.!ioti.ld not h:':, heard and de1crmjnet':. Tbc ,;ppJjcant cornn1e-nc0d ernpioyed r,vith th-2 .ff-spondent as a storema.n on 17 Nrsv:~rc1b,:r 199/ He ,vas ong1n.::1Jly ,.-;rnpkry-cd tD r::piace a store:n:ian wh-, '.iVc.i..3 vn long, s~rvi.r.e 1.~vt". Wh~.n that g.:ntiern"n retunwd te work in Fehl'uary c,f .i 9;18, the a.rphcanf .'-: ernploy1n0nt was condttuetl. Ou 8 t,,~ay 1996 th~ applicant was given .Jn.•,~ wed:' s notice (>f termination by th::, ,;e;~ptmde.ut' s ioca1 adrnirnsrrativn offit..:=r, t.-fs S A.ckroyd. lbc backgron;1ii t-:--' the tt:rrn.1:na..Con ~.s t~1<.t so.rn~~ Hlth: frm.e ..;arh...:r d.Jh..lther C'firnpany 1 1nder Lilt coipOia.tio11_1,: la~' had 1-cqu.ired a 51 ,1'f1 .lnt.ere.~t 1n the' rc.~cmde:nL Th,.a, 1;'.(X}!J.lling compa11y siilttcd iL y,·aiehrnJse tfJ t.be respondent':" ,,,,aiebrn.~.s-:_s aml bought lts ·.varehouse suJf \s.'irh it lTpun the corrrpletion vt tht.. sL.)ckw.kc:, th~ J.ppht..;,:t.nt ·w.\s <hsmissc:1 He: iiaJ carhtr niad~ n1guiri~..s aDout the ,SC,,;unty of hi~ etnpl0yn1eut to t.i1.e rc:spona~nf :s local n1arn.r:~r and had hccn assu10J that }iis emplcymt~nt was The autho.ritles are not unanirr1ous ;v; tl) th;;•, irn.pact ot the failure tn consuh vn .1u utLcrwis-:. _jusHfiabk~ redn11J.a.ncy. I.a fivck..ev v lVfuir,skrp Pty t:J, unreported, iRCl\ '557 /95, Marsha!.i J. U.9 S.:pt-en1bcr 1995) Ifis llonnur ub~e-rvcrl ·'It is well e;' stabli:r:hcd ~ u.. this Court that a teun1rir,.ti•·)e nf a!l .-:o.n--;ploy~.:j · s ,_o..1nril.ny~_neot Gn rl~d.u,~d.:.i..nc:,' gr<Allid.) \v1H he harsh, u:1J:.iSt c--1 L.111.::t.scnahJe whtTe tht>Je-. i.-. f\'J prio.:: c.:.;.1r....::l.:...lt;;;.ri0n \v!t.h au emnloy;:;;p befo1e that ;;nij;~-:.Jyer.' s -- 1 of 2 -- 21)6 Qt;-EENSi ,AND GUVER:,.TMENT INOU5TRfA1. GAZETTE 12 Mardi, I q99 crnp.:.oyn:..ei.t is re1T1tir1atc-d o.n 1edtn:1da.n.cy g1ou!hl:-..". Si1.nii.a.rJy in Quuli.1)- Baler;J uf A.us;a.;.liu Ltd i Cioa1diug i.."Udi A.itDiher (19i)5j 6d IR ·32--; at -5'34 Be:s:tzk~-Y J. observed "rLhe need for consu.1tatton wnh ~~rrq,Ioyec-s and, 1t .,rpp!Jcahh:-. th,~ \~mploye,;;' union! in the c<1S{: of a '..vorkplace change or re~tri1..:tu-ring h?~ r:cn8'st":'11tJ;.1 b•:~... n ~c,_--:,oz,n~se-d ~L"' an ?3$t:n'j"j -=:-l"".'rnent of fa~L'1e.<;s in tf.•_e. refa.ti(Jnship of en~pl')y~x· arid ernplt•y_.-•t.". Ho,;vc.v-:.r in AfitcheU Cell/n; v L·dr obe. Cuun6l (I ;,,;5) 6(' IR -tSO J.t 1190 Sp~=m.dcr J. to,.)k_ th~ 1-n-,.:,rc: rnodera!-:, ,,i;;v,.• tl.at a fr1llure tc c>:mSl.dt witb an ,,··m;,lt.>y,.:;i;;. c,;: un),_JJi ahcut lh:~ iS!iU.;; of rcJunfi.ancy ruay 111ean the kcrn.ination un that grounJ is hars.f.t, u.nju~t or unr~aiOHaDlc J:n Leddicua; v .Sc!uav.eUo Conmu::ra~1«l Interiors {SA.) trnrepotiecL IRCi\ 569/95 von.Dous~a J ., (18 Octob;:,r 1945 • toz_1k n1uch the sar.ne view. H 1::; nc,t ntCt;.$Sary 10 resolve the difterence here. Ta.king the vi,;.w 1v.)s"!" ge:rc:r:-)U) tu tfv:: c-c::?Jnrler1-t I c-oT"s~de ... ~hf' dismi~,;s;1l w1.s harsh, unjn..,r ar.d tmrea.soivthk. The hnp-0ruu.1ce ef conso1ta.ti_nn cannot he. rJve.rstatr~d. In ::J/:.f'j, Gf',.f'Ja: Mn,n,,v Hvlu.m Ltd (l'lc,6 1 53 S/,l;.:{ S:1 Jt 5'.:8 S:.u.ky} [ormdl.. t~d" ;J1rn1l,e~ dbaJiL pn:.;ciplos v.-hich s!,culd ;.ppi; 1h tlic. c;ccsc uJ reJlu1<lancy. (}u.t: o! tfi-e principles vvas that the cn1ployer shouJd g1vc a.s rnuch wan:un~ a~ po~siblc: uf in1pcn<ling reJu.nd,u1cic.s .su ~s to enc.bJe the union and the e.n1-r,]f\yee. v1hP rn.ay be ;iffected to take early steps to ,nfonn themselves of the facts, to i:::on.~ider possible. a!tcrnatlve solutions and, if ne-e0~sary, to fi:t:d a.1Tern~,1i•.,1c err~.:rloyr_;_1n1t v:it!:l Cw. e.m::il('y.~-r ;)f e~scwhe:c !:Lrc) the applicant w:-1s a,..::-ti.,:ely (a1b:·;it p·-:.rhaps inn.t>ecn~Jy) rni.'-'kcL Arlditi0naUy, th~! •..1tnlssi,.)fi t0 c-.!TiStdt hr:,.;achi:.G s.;hi.'.duk. 4 c,ftae Cci.erJ.l s~..)l,.>s, \i;hirehou;1:.in& ,;,J1.J. Di0trihuti>..Hi A.\:\.irJ Sta'-e. 1n ;ny ·,.iew br...::ad1 cf ;111 av,md -.Jblie,a.tio.a i'• svrne- evidence that the d1,-.::ntis5-:al ,vas harsh, UT~rust or unrezc,onabk. Ti.:.e J:{JpLc~n: \Ya~· fJrtm:~at~ .:.n. -~h.:.J. 21t: s.;;ctutd ~":-Lq:,:oyr:5.ei.J ,vi~h~n :t \Vv:l_ cf l.i.1:;· ([sc1i.2s._;.]. I~ ·i'.;· tnJ_;: •ihfJ / i.s ;.:a:::u.aJ ;;,rHp~oyrr1;;~-nL b11t he h.1s :held it kc sz,n1c- S 1nuntlt~ n.uw, I-le', tcHs inc ti1tit tht... wdgt"-~ ;:1re, abc)Ut the sa1l10 as the wage.,;: pa.1.d i.o htrrl hy the rc:-,:p(Jiidc-at. Thcrt- L;;: no i:\ddct""t..::e of what th,.:-;sc \Va.ges n1l.ght ha v~- hcen a.nd insnffK,ent ~v.Jdf",nce to determin,;:; the apphcant';: 1.:::'lassification under t.h.e Genera! Sh1rc-.1-, Warehousing and Distribution ,_r\~.v211d -· State 'T}r-:~rcs- 1·..: '~om::- ;•evidenc:t:'·' -- ~t i.s re.'.'iHy sc:riou<:; :'tatemenl from th2- Par tah!e •- that tl~-2 ~.pplicanf. wa~ fin::mciaHy en-'.turra~,<ced hy the ,..;itcun..st.dn::~::: ul hi~; di.s:rni;;;sal 2..D_J Lad to a,rr..;,ngt: ,rith c,.:-ediLors L) .::e.:::cb.e<lul:: pa/rne;1k~. Tba~ i~ iiihcri:ndy probable. Pu"funrn.J.Jl'-..:e of d:.t~ Ju1y t.c cun.:.,nlt v.:ou.id have g.lvc.u }nrn the opportunity to rrut1t;ale tht:· cn1hana;')sn1enL ln aH cir:et1n1stances, doing the- i.!est I can .rn lht' face of inaJ~uatc C-\-'idc.1H.'.t!. J ~::,i.<.:e45,s cnrnrJe-ns4.,{i'Jf! ~1t $5n-o I).;.:.-:1e 18 a.a <ipp.Ec:3,;jr,,_n fn.._· l,..n;,t.o;;. i ,;011:-:.i.dcr ~h..:- I\'.\<:;po11i.le1..f3 or.ni.'.:,sivn tu a.tt;.:.,n_J J.t c1-~._J1 of the iit::.t two co11:tc:r.:n.--::es to hav,:;, b-e.011 an unreasonable on1is:•c:io:a within the m.~~anrn.g of,,;;. 22.5(.1.}{b) ot thi.::. Vr'orkplace Reiatlons Act 1997. The 1--·,(.:.de,rateo -~I;)n::n1en and Pack.er_z;' tinion of Empioyecs of Aust~..:di,~ (f)nc~n~i?.!l<:4 Bra~:1rh) !~?LS incnrr';;'.d vnt.hy~ '.lIYi 1nvt~t~d '-f.:~ff frtnf'. l{o 1Nz=-ver, th".'.; ':)ff<inis,.tt?o-n i~ ":HJ' the aprhc':tnt ~nd ha,"? :no .:.nt.itkrn!:':Ht to -.x)3t TL.e.t'e- is _1.1c e ,,,i,Je1.:.c< fha\ tbt o;:g~,ni :,atit..,n !o<,L:: 11 ) f:H:· apFr!.ic1r:t for P-~ y_Ln-int. In tb.0t-'j -..u :;t:.lTut~:tn,_e:: the :tppEc~,.n1 c:_i.nrK1: \,Ja.ln1 c-.. is1 s. { ord-:r that the rc--~pondent forth~N1t.h pay to the apphrant th-:;:. surn ot $500 by \Vay of compensation and a turther $22.5 hy \vay of l.:Ost.s. AppF-«.ru.nce.s:- :~.,,,i.~: A. Tunjic of The Fc-de1attd Store1ncn an,.i Par.kcrs' C.uiun e:f E1nμh.Jyce,.:; ot Au•trc1li& iQu~ensland Bmnch) forthe apphcmt ,,~\T,....., ..·t Q!JE~NSLANO OOVERNMENT lNDlfS TRIAL GAZETTE -- 2 of 2 --