Adams v Director of the Fair Work Building Industry Inspectorate [2017] FCAFC 228

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Adams v Director of the Fair Work Building Industry Inspectorate [2017] FCAFC 228 Appeal from: Application for leave to appeal: Director of the Fair Work Building Industry Inspectorate v Adams [2015] FCA 828

File number: WAD 488 of 2015

Judges: NORTH, DOWSETT AND RARES JJ

Date of judgment: 22 December 2017

Catchwords: INDUSTRIAL LAW – whether appellants engaged in industrial action in contravention of ss 417(1) and 421(1) of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) – evidence sufficient to found reasonable inferences that appellants failed to attend or remain at work and this was action of an industrial nature – appeal dismissed.

Legislation: Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) s 13(1) Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) s 140, Pt 3.2 Div 3 Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) ss 3, 12, 13, 19, 171, 417(1), 421(1), 202(1), 203 Fair Work (Building Industry) Act 2012 (Cth) s 4(1) Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) ss 4, 24(1) Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) s 78B Workplace Relations Act 1996 (Cth) s 4(1)(d) Federal Court Rules 2011 r 16.01

Cases cited: Adler v Australian Securities and Investments Commission (2003) 179 FLR 1 Alcan (NT) Alumina Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenue (Northern Territory) (2009) 239 CLR 27 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (No 5) (2009) 264 ALR 201 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Hellicar (2012) 247 CLR 345 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Rich (2004) 220 CLR 129 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Chong v CC Containers Pty Ltd [2015] VSCA 137 Coleman v Power (2004) 220 CLR 1 Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (2007) 162 FCR 466 Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia v Laing (1998) 89 FCR 17 Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v BHP Coal Pty Ltd (2015) 320 ALR 61 Hadgkiss v Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union (2005) 146 IR 106 Jayasena v The Queen [1970] AC 618 Johnson Tiles Pty Ltd v Esso Australia Pty Ltd (2000) 104 FCR 564 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Klein v Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board (2011) 208 FCR 178 Kuhl v Zurich Financial Services Australia Ltd (2010) 243 CLR 361 Lange v Australia Broadcasting Corporation (1997) 189 CLR 520 Levy v State of Victoria (1997) 189 CLR 579 MacDonald v Australian Securities and Investments Commission (2007) 73 NSWLR 612 Marshall v Director-General Department of Transport (2001) 205 CLR 603 McCloy v New South Wales (2015) 257 CLR 178 McNamara v Consumer Trader and Tenancy Tribunal (2005) 221 CLR 646 Police Service Board v Morris (1985) 156 CLR 397 R v Falconer (1990) 171 CLR 30 Reid v Howard (1995) 184 CLR 1 Strong v Woolworths Ltd (2012) 285 ALR 420 The Age Company Ltd v Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia (2004) 133 IR 197 The Commonwealth v Director of Fair Work Building Industrial Inspectorate (2015) 258 CLR 482 The Daniels Corporation International Pty Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (2002) 213 CLR 543 Walker Corporation Ltd v Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (2008) 233 CLR 259