Brisbane Branch of the United Firefighters' Union of Australia, Union of Employees, Queensland v United Firefighters' Union of Australia, Union of Employees, Queensland [1992] ICQ 14 (1992) 140 QGIG 693

692 QUEENSL AND GOVER NMEN T IN D T RI AL GAZ ETTE [7 August. l 992 ----------- 7 August, 1992) QUEENSLA D GOVER MENT I N D TRI AL GAZETTE 693 Ql "EE. S L\ ' D I "Dl <; TR I.-\L COl l RT flld11\/r111/ Rr/01111111 le/ /CJCJO-l</9/ ~- I•:!:! - ruks wntraH'ning Hn,hanc Br:tn<·h of the Pnllt'd Fircfighters· l j n,on of -\u~trah,t. lJmon of [111plo)ecs. Quel·n~land l ·n11cd r,rclightcrs" l ' nt0n of .\u'-tralm. L: nion of Emp lo)CC~. Queensland Jl•STK t :vim :-.:IH ·\"-. PRESIDI NT 23 .lul) 1992 Onkr - Comphanc-c ,111h -\et Prc11 i\rons - '-on-Comphancc - Ruk-.. - Oppr,~i,c Rules - Oh;c,1~ of -\et - Cncourage Dcm- cx.ratic Conirul of lndu~tnal Organ11a11ons - Plc.'b1<;C11C - Pe1111on - State Rt•turnrng Otl,ct·r - Jmpl·d rrn c nt - Odo) in ·011ct· - i'sc, Con1r~1en 1i on of .'.\t'l Prov1~io11~ - A ppli, lltion Di smi s5Cd. H ·oc:-. 11 'iT THI~ •~ an apphcauon tor an o,d,•r ckclaring that certain ruks of th..- 1·nitt·d r-11di gh 1cr~· Unio n of •\11 ,Iralr a. L: nion of EmplO)Ce~. ()wcn,lnnd ( the lJ niun) contravene th e provision, ol <,ec tion 13.1 1(dJ of the /11d11 1tnal R,,fa1111111 •la /<JCJ/1-/IJIJJ (the \ell . T hat sub-.cc- 11on. it "111 oc nott-d. pro1 ides to the effect that the ruk~ of an rndu~trral org.rnitauon mu>t not Impo~c on mrrnt>crs:- ..rnndrtion~. ubhgation, or restrictions that. havrni rrgard 10 the objc-ct~ ol 1h1~ .\et and the purposrs of rcgrs tr:rnon of industrial orgunitation~ under this •\et . arc opprc'>SI\ .:. unrca,onabk or unJus1.· ·. It Is rn m ,·nIcm 10 notr that th,· oh;ccts of the ,\ et indude the pro, ,s,on of a framc,1url,. for th,· ord,--rl) condun of indu,trial n.:la1iuns in Quernsl,rnd. the rccog n11i o 11 and encouragement or th e li ,rmall(Hl cl!" org,m i~aI1on\ rcprcsct1tal l\·c of c mp lO)ccs 10 provrd,• adc,1u:i1,· and com 1>et,·nt rcprcscn1a1ion for mcrnbc1, 111 rndu,tnal m.mcr'> \fo<,t Imponant l) for prc\Cnt purpo,,,, the) mdudc .. ,o , nt·ourag,· thl' dcmo,:1 JII< control of rndustnal org:mi,atiun, and Ih.- p;ir11cIpo11on b) 1ht• 1r mcrnl-ic" 111 th e afl arr~ of intlu~tnal organ ilat1on~.·· .. 40. Pldmrn.- (;i) \ plcbi'>titc ,hall be conducted b) the '>t :11e l< rturn1ng Otfirer upon pr,·....-n1a11on of a JX'lllron calling for !.:!me 10 thl' 1a1e Comm111t·c of \t anattcmcnt bearing the s,gnatun:s ol not k>, 1h.rn :?O pe r ccm of the financ:111I members ot the l l n1on. CbJ Th,· S1a1.- Commiu,·c of /\tanagcrnent ma) of ih o"n muuon dctcrrn,ne to ,uhmrt a question tu the member, 111 pld)l \l"lll". fc) Th,· S1a1,· Rctur nrng Ollic:N shall upon oc111g adnscd of th,· prc,cn1a1,on of the pc111ion or the resolu11on of1hc State ( ommltll'C of M anagement rc~pcctivcl) conduct the plcbi- ~d,e. (dJ The State Kl'll1rn1ng Otlic,·r shall sc111t- the ballot paper to o..· ,ubmined to rhe 111cmlx.>rs rn accordance with the p,:111,on or ~1a1e <:omminc,' of \f anagcnwnt resolution and ma, 1t·phrJ~l- or rt·~trunun· ~anw rn order 10 achie,e a clear ~1aiemen 1 ot the Is,ues 10 be dctcrm rncd tn the plcbisci1r. l he • 1mc Rr tu rnIn$ Offiwr 5hall all o" a ·brief statement c:1t·h for t he a flir ma11,e and 11cga11ve casr 10 accompan, lh t· ballot papas. I hl' ·1aIc R cturn111g Officer \hall set gu1ddrncs for ~uch s1a1cmrn1~ and shall mal..c 111qumcs and dett'rmrnc the appropnart' 1x:r.ons 10 '>C:llk' ~uch siatcmcnts. (CJ The Sta te Rc tt11111ng Oflin:r ~hall fix th e dal l'S for pos1111g of ha ll ot pal)l:r~ and closing n f 1hr plchi~r i1c hut shall in t·ach ,.a..._.. pro1 idl' adequate lime for memb,:rs 10 rnns1drr th,, ,,,ucs and to r,'l:cr,e and ,,·tum 1ht•1r b.11101 paJX'rs et) In a plcb,sclll' thc Stat.: Returning Otlkrr shall Is~uc lfhlrll Cl io n~ to lhl.' follo 111ng l'ffo,·t:- ·EncloS<--d I\ a ballot paper for a pkb1sc11,· in the l ' nitcd f 11d1gh1crs· Union of .\ustr:iha. l n10n of l:.mploycc\. Qu<·cnsland. To ,01c 111 fa\C)ur ofa pro- posal or dcci~ron )OU should place thl· figure (If opposiu: t he \\Ord .. YC\ .. To \ OlC against a PIOPO~al or dec,s,on )Ou should place figure (I) oppos11c the \\Ord ·: o·· \ftcr vo1 ,ng )Ou should place the ballot pape r ,n the addressed cn,clopc ,1 h1ch Is enrlo~l-d and post 11 so that 11 111II reach the Pri1a1,· Bo, to "hich it " addresst'd b, (i><.' I out the time and date on .,..hich th<· ballot clo,,·~J." and members ~hall ,ore in a<'tordancc "ith the said ins1rut·• 11011\ (g) l hl' State Rcturnrng Oflkcr ,hall ma l,. e ,·n qui ri c~ and shal l appoin I appropria te pt· rso n~ as sc r uI 111ccr~ for the attim t allvc and ncgnt"c case~ in an> plch i se, !c rh) ', ub;ct·t 10 the pro,·isions ot this Ruic and ,1 uh !>uch change) as arc ncce)san. thl· ',tatc Rc1urn1ng Officer )hall conduct a pleh1sc11c 111 ·accordance with tlw pro, ision~ of Ruk I ll . 5.> . -\m cnd mcnt of Rules .-\n) or th c\C Rules llld) Ix· ahered. amended or re,t· i ntkd or nc" Ru l es rn a~ be w bst itut cd :i~ fol lows:- (a) l pon recci, mg a direc11 on from the '>tat,' Curn1111t1n· of ~lanagcment or a rt'Quc~t from a (,encral mccung nl rncrnocrs 10 call a mee ting ol 1he State Co 111 mi11,·t· of M anagrmcn1 tu con~1dc r a propo~cd altcrat, 011. amendment. rc~c15~Ion or sub,111u11on of the Rules. lht• \rntc St' err1a11 shall \ummon such a mectrng a, ,non a, p,a ,· 11cabk. • (b ) The 5tatc Sccret.tr) ,hall ,ummun a meeting of the State Comm1t1<'c uf ~t:inagcmcnt undc1 this Rull· h, g" rng 10 all rnemlx.>r., of tht· late C-omm111cc of Manag,:ml'nt and all Official.\ at least 11\Cnt) C~O) ,~orl..rng da)s 11 011ec by ord,na1) post of the prop o~n l and the time. dare an d place of Ih.: lllCCllng. k) -\1 a meeting held under 1h1\ Ruic 1h,• State Comm1t1cl' of '1.1 anagcment shall (,1 ithout II bc,ng nl't'C\'kl~ for Jn) pcr5on to mo, c or \CCund the propo~IJ rnn~rdcr the propo'kll and ma) rcsoh·t• 1hat the alIcraI1011. am cndnwn t. r esc I \\Ion or suhmisw,n ix, m ack cit ht'r as propos~d or as amenckd by the Stair Committee of Ma nagrn1c11 1. (d) Th<' State St"trcta" ~hall putilici5<: an) Ruic chanic adopll'd b) the IJh.' ( om m111c·r ol M anag<'mt·nt "ilhin CI OJ \\Or~ing da>s after the da te of re~o lu1ion . (t') I I'. withi n tw,: n t~ (:!0) working days alkr t he da te o r" ;1 rc~olutron under the preceding ,ub,ruk . the Sta te Returning Otliccr rcet·l\e-s a 'Hillen rcqul·,t for a plchl\rm· uixin th,.. d t'C1s1on of the t3lt' Comm1lll'C of \la nagcm.-111 s,gn.:d h~ at least on~ -1 cn1h of the tinannal member, of the l 11I0n. 1hc ';1au: Rc1 urn 1ng (Jtticer ,hnll . as soon :1~ prac1icahk'. eond11c1 a plcbi\ci tc 10 w hc1h .-r or 1101 1hc linanrial mcmlwr~ of the Branch apprO\ e of the d cc-1\1011 of1he 'ita t,· Comm111t·t· of vfanagcmcnt. IO I f thr !>tatr Returni ng Offin·r docs not rcl'el\c a reque st within the pr~-ced1 ng sub-ruk 1he ahc rarion. amcndm,·111. rcsc I,sIon or ~ubs111u1ion which the State ( ommll t C'C ot ~tanagcmcnt resoh ed 10 Ix.> 111adc shall suhJcct to thl· pro, •Mons of rht \ c·1 and the Regulat ions. come rnto opcr- a1,on upon the c.1.pIrn11on ofa further t\1Cnt} •c1gh 1 (28J da,~ l g) I f the State Rc•turning Olliwr reccl\ ,·s :i r.:quest rn accordan ce \\ith ~uh-rult' Cc) of th" Ruic then:- fif ,r 1hr plcb1sci1c appro1,·~ of tht· den<.rtin, 1h e ahcratrun. amendment. n·,nss,on or wh\111u1,on "h rth 1hr 1a1c C'omm,uee of \l ,rnagtm,·11 1 rcsuht'lf 10 Ix· made shall. subJcct 10 tht' pro1IsI011, ol th~ .\et and th e Rcgula 11 on\. come 111 10 opcra t,0 11 up(,n the dct , laration bi th,' State Rctur 11111g Otlil·,•r of the rn11h of the pkh1'Clle: 1111 1f1h..- plc-tw,citc docs noI appro\(: of thl' d,-cl\1011 lht· Resoluuon ot the St:it..- ( ornn11I1t·,: ot \lan:igc ml'n t that th t· alter at ion. am endm ent. rc,c, ~s i on or s11bs t 11u 1io 11 be made shall havl: no l"lli·ct upon tht\C Rules: -- 1 of 2 -- 694 QUEE SLAND GOVERNME T IND US TRIAL GAZETTE <iii) 1101" 11hstand111g an) thing rnntaincd In 1h1s Ruk wh ere Ihc U nion i\ r eq u ired by la" to ame•nd il s rules su~h amcndmcn1 wh en endorsed h) a simpl e maJori1, of the Staie Commiucc of Manag,•men1 shall be dl-rmcd 10 ha,e comphrd \\llh the procedural rcquIrC01l'OlS of th l\ Rule:· So for a, Ruic -rn is conc,·rncd. i t will be seen tha t a pll'h 1\cllc can oc in11iaI,·d b) ~0°u of Ihc Ii nan, ial mcmlx:r) The StJlc Returning ()fliccr i) obliged 10 conduct a pkbt!.Cllc upon be ing a(h 1\ed b, the pre•scn1.i11on of tlw pc 1iI io n cnll1ng for 11 pu rsuant 10 su b- scc 1i on (a) . The I ulc dOC) n<J l srcm to r csI ricI the \oure·c uf ad,·icc as 10 Ihc State Rc1urning Olhtcr of t he prc,e111a1ion of th,• ix1111on w 1h,· ",1a1c Comm111ce of \l,111 ageml·n1 The Sta te Comm111,•,· of Mam1 ~cme· n1 is. h) Ruic 2 71c) . the go,- crn ing and gene ral poli C) -makini; b od) of Ihc Unio n, st~b jcct to t he• ix>"l'I~ of ml'mbcr~ in pkh1\('1te. It ,~ ma de up ot de·ctcd ottin-r\ of the union It doc~ not \,-cm inappropriah.' 1ha1 11 be- th,• rc..-c1pIen1 ot the call tor a plcbt\Ull' . II ha, no po"cr 10 1111crfcrc '"th 11w S1a t .: Rl'turr1111g Officer procccd1ni. confo rmabh \\ 11h the· Ruk -1 0 111m n his hcmg ad, i ~c<I of Ihc prcscn w1ion of tl pc 1i1 1on in t erm, or 1h,· ruk, . Ru k -1 0 g)\cs :he..· ',tat,· Comm111,-e of \la nagement no po\\er to imped,• the proccs, put 111 tram b) the prl.'~cn1a1Ion of a mc-mocr's pct it> on bcang ad, 1,cd 10 1h e SIaIe Returrung Officcr. In deed ll ~,em ~ 10 rnc that tl K· pro, isions of 1hc ..\cl mi gh t be ca l kd 111 aid m ,uppon of the proc,'~S- if the Commi11cl' ,hould 1111p,·de it. Ruic -10(,1) 1, said Ill impede the dcmocralll' process in the union hccau,c 11 ensure, 1lrnI no p lctmt·11c on ", uc ra i sed b~ the ranl. - and-tik. r11ay procc('d unless a va lid pclllion 15 fir st presen ted 10 the Stat ,· ( onrn111 tl.'c of l\ lanagcm,·111. Sub rule (c) i, .,_,,d 10 ha,·e the 'iallll' con~--qurntl' berauSl' no pleb1\tllc t.in Ix' 111111a1ed b~ the S1.11c R c1urn1ng Otliccr un11I he has been ad\"IS<:d .. pr~umabh b,· the Sta l l' Scnct.tr) " t he JX't I11on had bo.'cn prc~cntcd. I ha,l' alrcad ) tk :i lt wi th 1111S. Rl-all) th,· compla1n1 ~rms 10 t' omr do"n 10 that notKl' must hl' g"en III thl.' State ( o mminec of \lanagem,·nt rather than d1rcc1l~ 10 t he' ',t;He Rc1urn111g Officer and thal Iherc might hc..·ncc be a dcl..1). (i1\l'll the..· co mpos11 1on . f 11n c: 1ron an d r,·spo 11 s1bi h1~ of th e Stale ( 01111111 11 cc ol \tlanagcmcnl. it d ocs 110 1 ~cm i 11app1 upriall' 1ha1 11 l>c appri~d ,1f :1 pc1i11on f11r a plch1,c11c- parucularl~ in th,· l'Onll'\l ol II being Jbll' of th O \\0 mouon to subnut a qu,·suon 10 mcmhcr, 111 plch1,c11c. I haq: al rcatll r,• r,,, re d 10 th e• 111:1nda1un t'e atu rc ~ of Ruic 40 I am 1101 p.:r,uadcd 1ha1 II in firn1tc, \. J:l.i°l(d). I turn 10 Kulc 55 . Proper!, umkr,tood. 1h1s docs no1 \<'Cm 10 m,· 10 offrntl agaIn~ t the pro1IsI0 11 ~ of the .,_,l. Sub-Ruic (a) cnabb a gc ncrnl meetin g of mcmb,·rs of 1he u11i on to call ,1 111C'e1 ing ol thc SIJIC Cummmcc of ;\1anagcm cnl 10 con~1dcr a propo;cd a ltcr- auon cir of the ruk-s . .,_ mccung of the..• 'i1a1c Com1111lll-C ol '.\.l anagcml.'nt held und..-r the rule ma~ formulatr a change of lhl· rule~ and 1ha1 ch .ingo.: ,~ 10 hc nd,cr11;cd. fhcn: 1s then. b~ (e). prn1 i ,ion li1 r 011 c-I,·nIh of the financia l mcmhc1, of Ihc un io n 10 n:4u1rc 1ha I a pll'bi,c11c be conduct e·d to ,cc: "hc th cr or 11 01 1hc tinanua\ mcmbl'r~ ul the umon ohc last Ian.: of sub-Ruic (c) and 11, rctc-r,•ncc 10 Bran, h 1s c\earh an errort Thus undcmood. J , i,·" lhJl Ruic :55td inH:sts the..· ~tah.' Cnmm1He-c of \lan agemcnl w11h Ih1• ~ok- and ~u pn: mc po" .:r 10 amend cxIs1111g ru le seem , 110 1 10 he 11c ll -fo u11d cd. Ten pcrct'nl of the ti nancia l 111c 111bcrs ha"' po"l'r 111 11111ia1,· :i pkbi\clll' on th,· dec,sion of 1hr State ( ·omm 1t1c,· 111 rnpcl I of amendment~ 10 th,· ruks. I am n(>l persu aded lh(' K uk~ ,·ontra,cne• ,. 11I l(d) and 1hr ro nsid,•r,11i o n\ bc111g a~ I ha, r ,·a n, a~scd . I 1hcrcfor t· dismi ss 1hr Jpp l ir auon. lr.1tc,t th1, 1"cn1~-1h1rd da~ ot Jui~ . 199:?. \1.P. \\ OY'.'-IH .,_:,.. , Presiden t '.lr ll Urn,d. v.11h him \ fr 8. \\'ilkin~on for Brisban (' Hranch 0 1· 1h,· l ' nll,'d f-1rct1gh1cr\· l·111on o f .,_ustral>a l ·111011 of I mplo~c..•,•<, Quc..-..·n,1.ind . M r _.,_ _1' . lkrbcn 011~Iruc1cu b, ()'Mar a Pn1 1c1~o n anJ P,·rncr) for t he• l '11 11.:d F irdigh1~r,· l 'ni(11i of .\u"railn . l nion of [ mploycc,. Qu..-cn,lund. Opc ra UH' Dale: N/ A Ordrr - Bri sbane Branch U FI; &. I iFU Rclrascd. :!3 Jui~ 1992 17 Augu st. 1992 7 August. 1992] QUEE !SLAN D GOVERNMENT INDUSTRIAL GAZETTE 695 -- 2 of 2 --