Dawson v Coca Cola Bottlers, North Queensland [1995] QIRC 22 (1995) 148 QGIG 337

336 QU EE NSLAND GOVERNM ENT INDUSTRIAL GAZ ETTE [1 0 February, 1995 13<>0 I _ I n<X. 10 February. 1995] Q UEEN S LAND G OV E RNMENT IND US TRIAL GAZETTE 337 QUI I. SLANI> I ' DUST RIAL RELA l I0NS COMM IS . 10 /11d 11 s1r i al Rela 110T1s Ac1 I 990 , 29 5(2) - c,1ension o f time Hugh Dawson A D Coca Cola Boulcrs. North Queensland (8 f(J()I of 199.JJ CO MM I SS I ON ER NUTTER 25 Januat) 199 5 I cnninauon of 1-,mplo) men! Di snm~ al - Rcinsta1emcn1 - Pre liminary Issue - l. x1e ns 1on of T ime • Delay - Reference 10 Case L aw - Chronology of Event!> - Special Circumstan ces Exist - Applica11on fo r Ex tension of'I imc Granted D CC ISI 0N This applicauon seeks an e,tension ol lime in ,,111ch 10 bring an app lica ti on fo r the rcins 1a1em rn1 or re-emp loyment of m1 e mpl o) ee . Mr Da,, ~o n. the applicant, ,, as surnmanl}' dismissed from his e mployment \\ith Coco Cola Bou lers, North Queensland (the Respondent} on 12 Janua ry 1994. The transitional pro, isions about d ismissals in the Jndus/r,a/ Rrlmions Refo rm Ac1 1994 s tate: --4113 ( I) Pan 11 . Division 4 as it exist ed immediatdy before the commenccmcnl of th e Jnd11s1rwl Relalllms Reform 1lc1 /99./ (the · amendin g /\c l ' ), from the commenceme nt conunues to apply to d ismissals \\ lthin the mcanmg of the l) i, •~ion that happened before the commenccmenl as 1f the amend ing Act had not been passe d ." . -i hus the prov1~ 1ons rclallnj!, to the dismi ssal before the Commission are covered by the Acl as it c,-istcd al the time of the dim1 issa l lhc pcn mcnt !>CClion as it relates to c, tension of 1imc rcad~ dS follows:- .. l' A RT 11 - GE J"i El{A L C0:'1/UITI 0 J'-S OF O 1 PLOY:\tt.: ;''ff Divi~ion 4 R l!i nstal l!fll l!nl an d r e-emp loy m n ,t I 7-1 .( I) If an cmp lo) ee 1s d ismi):.<:d from cmployrncnt. application for rel ief under sec1ion 175 ma} be made 10 the Commis,1on - (a) " ithin 2 1 days after the d i,n11ssal: or (b) within a longer period allcr the di~mbsal that the Commission ma) a llo" at an} u me in the circumstances of the case .... Objection was iniuall) ta ke n b) Mr French for the respondent 10 lr F. Oa\\,On. a solicitor appcanng for th e apphc:mt: however. following di scussions between the parties Mr French "ithdrew th e objec ti on and consented to M r l)a\,son' s appearance in respect to the cx1ens1on of ume application onl) but reserved the right to object 10 h1~ appearance in respect lo an) subsequent hearing. IJ901 _1.DOC -- 1 of 2 -- 338 Q U EE SLA D G OV ER 1ME T IN DU ST RI AL GAZ ETT E [ lO f- cbruar y, l 995 llm:lh t hi.: rnsc Im tht: aJlplicant \\:lS th,11 h.: h.iJ ,tl all 1101.:;, s 11 hseq 11 e~l to lhe d 1s1n is~,11 , nught to p 11 r, uc hi , cl c1 1111 li>r r.:in,tati.:mcnl I he dda) in lodgmo.:n l "as due lo inu.:tiun h) hi, ,,,hcttor> Fo llcming th i.: cJi,mis,:il on 12 J anuar) the applica nt att..:ncJ.: d the I t:i,?JI Aul om,.: 111 \ 1t h.i to ,M.1:rtain 11h.i1 rcmc<l1e~ \\l! rC a1 ,11lahk. Ille Jppltcarll "~' rckm:d tn J ,olicllllr (S) m \ II b,t I h.: appl1c11111 tck phoncd tit..: ol lkc or S and r.:cd,cJ an ,tppuintmcnt hl ,111en<l m1 I IJ Januar)· 191>~ The app li can t att.: ncJ ccJ s·s o flicc ,md l:llllC in, lruct ion, that he \\,tilted 10 h.: rcin~tutcd. /\ Her nu mer ous tc lcphom: ca lb In S uud ,..:v.: ra l appotntmenb \\her.: in i11stru,11ons "crc again ci,cn th,11 he " i ;heJ to rnnttnu.: \\Ith th.: cl:1101 . the appltc,1111 ()O I June 1994 dec ided to si.:c an ot h er ~oli d w 1 in Mt bet u, he bdie,cd tl1:1t \ \\a., 1101 putttng enough effort 11110 hi, cl.1im 1'11e l,1111: r ,,, l1 d tor tol d hi111 th.11 it 11nuld c,,,t ,1ppm,1111,il<.:l) S 12.000 tn pur,ue the c la im. O n 20 J une 11)94 the ap pl ic :1 111 cn ll cc tccl h t> tik lr n111 \ 's onic.- l lc l1 1..: 11 .tppro,tc h.::J h 1, pr ..: scn l solici wr, ((. kary I loan:) in Bri,han..: anJ this culminat..:d III a kiter being ,1ritt_,~n 111 th..: ,t, li ctl\l" lor the r..:,pnndc1111>11 12 Jui) 199-t ,inJ ;, re,J)(m,e fn1111 the m on 2 Aug ust 1994 . /\n appl ica 11 n 11 11 .i, 1inall ~ lodg,:d 11 1th 1h..- Quccn,lan<l lndu,1rial Rclalitms Cnmmi~;u>n on the appltcan 1· ~ hchatr on I(, ',eptcmher I 9'> I I hi! ~uhnu"wn 1or th.: ;1pp l1.:ant wa, supported b) kttcr,. a, \\Cll ,1, Jia~ entric, lnm1 hi, onginal ,-,lic11or, 1enl) 111g the ,,trilllh tclep hn m: culls and cnqui r.: , matk to th em h) the a ppli1.:,mt. It 11:is put II) 1'11 l),111s(m for the .ipplic.tnt that 1hc .1pphe,tnt h,tJ al al l limes p11 rsue<l the mailer. he 11n uld ,u llc r h ar<l,h1 p ii denied the right to pnu:cc<l in the lndu,trial ( ommb,i,111. thJI he c,,n,1JercJ lu, career w i1h th, 11.:~po11di.:111 IO he l,mg tern, ;mJ hup..:J i., co11111111,: with 1lw 1 ca r..:a ,111d tlwt he 11i,h,d l<\ rc,101.: hi, name ,tlld intel_!ri t) . \ ndcr th..: c1r,uni-1.mec,. 11 "·" ~unmllli.:J. thi: apphlJtlt ,huulJ not lo,c th..: n gh l p ro , ided undi:r the lcg,~ l,tti on l1> pur,11.: lhe nw11cr. \ h I rcmh fur the rc,pt1nJent poinh:d to thc .:,tent 1,, "lm:h the applic auon wa s oul \1 1· 11 111,:. I k ~ai<l tlh tt the 1c r111 i m11 11111 t\,u l,. place on 12 J,mu.i() 19'>4 , m<l thc app lication 11a, <'Ill) loJgeJ 011 16 'wpt.:mbcr 1994 In aJdi1iM. from the end ol fantt,tr) lll Jui~ th<.: respondent rccci ,·cu no ad 11cc 1h ,111 lh t: applic,111 1 or hb ,oltc i tnr, ancJ 11,t, cnuth:d lo tn:Jt the mJttcr u, lin.iliseJ l\1 r French rcfe1red th ;; C,,111 11 1i,\i1111 1,, the 1,,l1011 i ni:: , tu11: 111e111 h) nra) ( J. m thi: ta,i= ~•I l l011,l..1 , \l ,llcr 19611. I cderal ( oun ol Svuth Au,tr,1liu S./\ .~ R 277 "hid 1 ha~ hc.:11 o lh:n qu111cd 111 t lti, (.'01111111,,ion and ,,1hi:r Tr ibunals - "It mu, t be remc mhcrcd that \I I! arc d,.;,t lmg her.: 111th a J1,c rc11011 and m m~ , ic" il ought m>t tu tic fctl\:rc<l h) an, ah,olut1: nr mllc\lhk ruk~ It ckarl~ app.:Jr- from the...: tJ,,:, 1ha1 th c pura 111 ou1tt 111 a11 ~r, 111 be co n, idercd nrc 1hc lcngl h n l' th i: tkl.1~. 1l1c nplanation for the dda). the hard,1up 1c1 the p!Jtntlll 1I the aeuon" <l1,mi~scd ,,ml the c.iu,e of thc ac111111 lclt ,1.111111.: llarrcJ . the prdudil:c ll \ 1h1: cJcti:nda11 1 1r Ilic ac l11>n 1, .ilhll\c,1 1,1 proc\:Cd mll\\ t1l1'1Jndmg the Jel,I) . an<l the wmluct of the dcfcnJ,1111 111 1he l1t igat1nn .". • the c\p l.111at io11 liir 1he <lc la~ ,, as not o r the rcs r omlen ts doing • 11h ilst ,011 1c harJ , hip 1111 gh1 be i.:a u,cd to the ,1ppltca11 1. tb.: tlism1".1I wa, ,a li JI ) made and th 1, \\JS onl) 0111: faltor 111 1 01\cd: there "ould be prcjutltlC 11, the rc~pundcnt a, the rc..,po11d1:nt hclic1..:d the rn,,11er had been lin,1!tsed. in .iddtt1011 a kc) "i tne,, for lhc respo11Jc11t. th<.: pcrs1111 who di,mis,ctl the ,1ppli1.Jt1t. '"' ' no longer 111 ,\11,trah,1 hut 11a, in P au,1 ' e" ( j ui11c: 1 ,md h.i<l bccn there si n ce Sq1tc111bcr I '19.\ . II was J<.:kmmkdgc<l hi: 11a, ,11II employed h) the rc,pondi:nt (or Jn as,1>C1.ttcd t ,,mpan~ ): anJ • that the respunJent h,t<l Jctcd m a rror.:r .in<l appropriate manm: r 1hn.lltght>ul. Rdcr.:ncc 11.1., al:,o made b, Mr 1-li.:nch to nth.:r Jccision, ,1I the Com111 i,s1u11 ,cc l..i ng c"i.:nsiun uftim..: I h.i, i: be lore me ,1 ,i111atin11 "here the <ld,l) in tht: lodgment or th,· rc 11 ht:Jtc111cnt appltcauon " length, . ~ et thc ,tpplt,,1111 h,h . ,II all um .:s. sough t lo p urs ue the ap pl ic,11111n. The delay was c;1u~ed mitiJII) through the neglect nr his i11i1tal sohcitnr~ anti ~ub,cqucntl1 thn,ugh hi, pre-cnl ,olkitnr, n:rog111,111g that the ,tppl ii.:;1111 111 11a., alrcad) o,ll n l ti m <.: pur:;u,ng the 111 .ittcr " ith the rcspondc111·s ,olicttor.. h) letter ,tml then oh1.1i111ng further inlonn.1110n hclorc l0Jg111 g un application 111 the Connm~,11,n \\ h1bt there i, a p11111t1 facu rule that proc1."cJing, not ct1 11 1111i: 11 ced tn ti111i: ,ltl111kl 11 01 be c nten.a1ncd (l.uc 1t.: , r-;01,111 and Olh.: r, 45 i\l R p .i 11) ta,ourahh: di,cr.:tion Ill.I\ bi: ne1i:i,cd "here the ,tppltc,mt " able to ,lum ··,111 ,tclCptJblc e ,p lJna tion of the Jda) an cJ tlw t it 1, l'tt ir and equ1tahk 111 1hc c1reu111sta11ce, to extend t he: tune •• l'-.:c Du ff, l"retj.ih ( l9ll2) 62 rl R :!XO at 21\7: Chapman , l<..:111) unri:p,,n,d l"cdi:r,11 C:oun ,,f 1\u,trJ lta. -.:e,1,c, J. 9 Dee.:mhcr I 91(• ill 7) ( l,arl, th..: applt~ ,tnt rd1..: ,I up,,n ad, i.:e ,,1 l11, ,,,ltdtt, r, 111 thi, matter In the ci rtu 1n~w11~c, ii ~cent, foir an,1 r c,N•nabk 1h:11 hi: ,hnuld h,t\,: heen Jhk to <lo ,o I k "•" at .ill time, dtltgcnt III the p ur> u:11lc\: o l" the mailer through his s<>lici1o1~. I hat lhi: da1111 "'" 111>1 lndg eJ 11 ithin 11111e t1r t:.irlil!r th,tn it 11 :i- lodged i, Jue 1,1 hi, ~,•l11.;1tor·, m.:~kcl or ,,uu~siun I nrd lknnin~ \1 R. 111 Salter Re, & Co , (ih11,h ( 197 1l 2 ()II 59- ,tl (,(JI ,1,11e, ..,h,11 ,, lltti,:,101 ~huulJ not ,utl.:r a, j rc,nh nf ;1 m i,tal..-.: ,, !" h i, l:111 )C r un d. 11t1hnul fully c\pilm 11 g the mi:rit, of the lJ'-C. th.it It 1, ,11II rclc, JIil 1t1 tJl..c inll> , tuuunt 1hc apparent ,treni;th, M 11,:ak nc"e' nfthc l,1>e."·, I he l'rc,11lent of th..: ln<lu,tn.il Cuu n. \ l n~111han I in a Jei:i-1110 1..11cJ , II 1.14 QC il (i 92 uphdd an appeal ag:1111,t a refusal h) the Cn1111ni"ion gmnttng un c,tcn,11111 1,f 11111c hl ,tppl) ti.,r rc111,t.1temcnt In the cnur,c nl that di:u,l(ll\ the l'rc ,idcnt ,tateJ •• n,e c,plan.111 0•1 tor lh\: tlda) he1"ecn 1hc e"h,mre ol currcsponden~, Jlhl relcrn::d to and the C(>mmcnccm..:111 of pn•~ced ing, 111 the Co rn mis,1(>11 lt e, in the lact 1ha1 Lit<.: appl:c.11,1·, ,tiliutnr 11a, mc,pcricnccd ,n mdu,trial la11 . 11 a, l39fll I.DOC IO February. 19951 QUEE SLA D G OVERN ME. T I DUST RI AL GAZETTE una11.irc of tht.: ttme ltmtl for the hnn)!tng 111 an applt <; ,!11011 for l<'tt1,1atc111ent and nln iou,I) foiled 11, 111<11..c appn>priatc inquin e, ash >1h.it.". I he e:\ten,ion ol 111ne ,ought 1111 1ha1 m:<:,1,ion "•'' 132 da) , . rhal d1:ciSl(lll 1, ,1pp11,ite Ill 1hi , ea,c In the ah,cm:c ol oth..:r compdling factor, I <lt> not belie,.: the 1:,ten,i1,n of 1ime as s<>ul!ht ,lmuld b..: denied \\ 1111st I ,tpprcciate that some pn:judici: ma) nccur to the ri:,ponJcnt through the gran tin !! of th\: c,1i.:n\lnt1 of time . I am of the , i.: " that th,: har<l.~htp "luch \\OulcJ he ~ullcre<l h) the apphcm1t 1f th1: e,11:nsion 11.:re not granted. hm 111g regard 111 the c11curn,ta1u.:c, a., outlined. ll1tl11e1gh the pn:.1uJ1cc 10 the n:,pnndent I thi:rcli,rc grant the nten , ion ol tune . I rcwg111,e th:tl co~t~ ma~ hc tncurr\:<l hr the rc,pondcnt in hrtnging .1 key "itncs, h.,~k 1o /\us1rnlta "hich co,t, 11011ltl not have heeo inrnrred 11' the apphc,t11on had l>ccn ln,l1•cd III tune I hi, i, a mailer tn he deah 111th !,~ the Cornn11,siun "hen di:a ling "ith the merm, ,,1 the applicatton. I merely flag for the ,1J,·icc or lhat ·rribunal that the mai ler "as rJi ,c<l during tlm c,ti.:ti-ion of time he,1ring ~11 ,1ppltl,llion 11,1, mac.le during thi.: procccd111g, fo1 lO,b mrnrrcd b~ t he resp,,ntlent a, .i resu lt ,1 f th.: addition,tl hcannμ and therdorc nu l·o,t, arc a,, arded II . J 1'sl ITI It Co111m1"1oncr lpf'<'<lrttnce, \lr r I ),11,,011 o f Clc,1r~ I lo,tn. lnr the ,tpplicant l\lr I I rencl1 li1r I he Que..:11-l.intl (.'onlcdcratton ur lntlu,tr, I 11111tc<l. l lot0n t•f I 111plt1) c" 1111 beh,tlt o f C111.,1 Col,1 l\1111lcr,. North ()uee11,lan<l. Op1:r.i111e Dille Nu \ lkci,iuu F,tcn,ion <1 f 'I 1111c 339 -- 2 of 2 --