Cunado v Stones Corner Motors Pty Ltd trading as Keema Hyundai [1998] QIRC 289 (1998) 158 QGIG 420

420 GOVERNlVlliNT lNDGSTRlAL GAZETTE 24 1998 QUf£1',SLAND INm;sTRIAL RELAfIO',S CO:Vi:-.HSSION lVorkplace Relations 21 R - apphc.a.r.-i.nn for r~-instaternent C 1-1nado AND B 1378 o( J5l97} COM1',1JSSIO~,ER BLO()MFIFLD !0Julyl998 Reinstate:rnen.! - A.pphcJtlf)L (\:.,st) by Applicant n- 1\.:rrninat.i,)fl found to be harsh, unjust vr LH1n;.a_.::;J:1abh-..: C'o.tnrx..-::IL"ation awarded ~- Arh1t.rated ~1atkr -- ( ~a~t- hr\.V ,JJKl ,A.c.t con.sidrxt~d by Comff1issic•n - No nn.r;;asona.bk: ;ic:t cmlissjon connected w1.th the t'.ondnct of foe appl1eat.io.n on the part of err:p§oycr -- !'Jo lxisi~ upon which ro Jward DECISION On 1\1ay 1998 f issus:<l a dectsion. jn .rnatt~r in '\vhich I fou:nd tl:tat the terr.n!ndHon !\.fr on 4 July I 997 \.V,1:-, h;-s..rsh. unreasfm.able, referred to a r,.:.quest by th,": his STi<:Cf",.~sfnL In that re.-~pes.:·t .submi5-.sions ,vcre put nn tlHs that he ;,warded iw:Jicated '·no considerc.d ihe n:1.atter for the- hcctrin,t:: th.::: appEcant" A \Vntte,:n rnaucr for hearing. ~fr J\1uir again appeared for :Mr Cu:i.L.Hi:.} ~nd presented an extct:;s1vt~ in 1.vhich he sunng!y that ixists should b~- awarded ?\·1r Cun;ido' s tn:-atment ::md the \Vay tha.t the (:ase. had bee.n conducted ili1:.: rt-sponde:nL He also ;1rgued that tbe e.nnntm;;•r·, ds--:-.,::ision not to a-ect'.pt an st--:H.iern.--::n:) ,-·iL reh)stn.tc.rnc-nr and pay.ffi.ent ..:f b:ic.k \-v'age~. should be taken in.to ;,.s:,e,ssrae:m oi ap;:-1Lic.ar1on. (h) ctgaiD appeared on th:=:: b:.1.--i,;; the /Ci(;} h·~·+;.a tf of ~he provisic•ES: c{ s r-:spomknt 225 the Tfrd)' order ~1 p~sG) tr> ~tn a,r;_phcatio.n !...mdcr tnade the ~lfJ_phc~:tinn reasoua.bk -::.:au...;;:e: satisfir-.d !hr'> ttk 0th.er party b~---:cau:'\c o1 -,vith the (3) ln •cosfa:~ irn::-lm.ic,,;;; le-gal and pr'J!css1ona! cost:il disbursc:n1ents ;1nd witness expenses, whether or no~ co.rhrn.issu>n has cenifiect 1..mde-r ?,t'Ctic,n 350.". J'-{otv/ili'i~,;;tanding the- extensive- rnade hy M·r fv1uir the only que3tion h) be decided by rn.e whether the actions of the resJXmdent "·caust:<l costs othi?.r party because of an u..ru-ea.sonahle act or ornission com1,,ec;·,:,1 '1-Vith .the conduct of the aJ,j_'?licatiod". A,:n av./ ;rrd h-::t:n rn.et. jf On rtS}}Ond:·nl c-rnpioycr :l'.-1r irnplic-ation) at the comt're11cc: defending Mr Cun:-Hk, · s that his 219 px>.:.L Such that dep,,ndiug arna:,st:-d the- rt:spond.ent jt \vould be- 1n apphcaLion. •~vidcnce succeed \-h Kov..-·alski also argued tha.t th;;,: 1;,-rnp oyer gcrrnine1y hdd the view that .~fr Cun;Hh./ s actions constitutt>d n1li::c(.rndnct that jt had 1 ~1.t all tiroes, sirn.;:.1iy sought to d;;:.knd that l11e ernph.::yer accepted frrnt th::.~ Corn..mission sub.;;er.p1.r~rrtiy det:ided that such decision was not supportable, cf lav,;, but th,, resp::,n,kst's it, actions did nc-t cnu.::.'t1tute ;•an u:1rea'5ona.bie act or onli-ssiou conduct of the ann1,ca110n with the A.. lthough !tTS<Yr indic:rted (the-n) Presid1:.n.t 1 Justice de }'· Sch:t.·;uanberg 151 QGIO he ha.d .s-ou.ght to "fr:·e--1.tp' st.')111.c-'\vha.t th.t\ dJ_s,,_'::-retion:1ry approach to th~: awa.rd!ng of that decision do:<'" oot that costs follow the event the approa,,h i:hx, fr:.Hrnving His Honou.r'i d.;:,r_:i.,,;ion :i.:;uccr,Ssfui apphcanL or zkfendant. 1 In the application v/hich, as terminate hi"' :s~rv1ce\, ;:q.Jphf'mion adopted by e;_1.ch of the c3se turns on Jts o·-;vn rnerits and ,, higber prnportion of "'"'"'' dces not nwan that e;,e.ry defend ea.cl, of the. acc~1s;;Jj::yn_,, .\t· Cv.nadr:·s application. 'That those m<'.'!Hers ulrin.1ateiy, f-,En-d not he i.o th.t: tcrn:in-GJiun ,;::s rt-'-:Uh ot thr: ernpk•y•:::r's defo11.ce l\tr C'unad.o t.-:J ,.._u_p;:v.-,rt the <!Hs:~gat!ons. th,;:s:;;.~. extI a1w:ous n1atk-rs there '--V;1.s n,JthJ°ng ahnom1:ii about c;t_se irse-!f. wHh -e-r.nployer sin1ply dc~fenJing that it had taken to di~n1is~ ~fr Cunalk) n1iS'o)nduct 3ru1 ~he 4l)lio1rn aHcn1pfing to establish that disrnissa! t..:i..a.s Jursh. unreasonflh]c \ViihJn the argurnent::, we-re uitirn.:::Heiy accepted the by rri...:- lo tlie- fact,;: the n1ark.r. ,~:ell as \vith te.rrrt;,nario11 o-f e.rr,q:Jloyrrn:nt (lD the ba.i.:is of t:-rEployer_ to settie, hy :c:~iz;stafrng Y'vfr sugg<;·Stt:d by .\fr J\1u1r. upor;_ \vhj,,_-_b ti.~,~ JW.'lld C():~f_.,;; wa..:.; nc .::md s-hu:C in Jn. any 24 1 1998 GOVERNMENT INDUSTRIAL GAZETI'E 421 S. Cun.ado the the \"!<..-..tor .A.Bs(>ci&J.ion of Quecnshmd lmJustriJ.l -:..vith lvir \V CnJropton ft.)t ~:t.. me~, Curne-r !vintors Pty -- 1 of 1 --