Qube Ports Pty Ltd v Maritime Union of Australia [2018] FCAFC 72

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Qube Ports Pty Ltd v Maritime Union of Australia [2018] FCAFC 72 Appeal from: Maritime Union of Australia v Qube No 1 Pty Ltd [2017] SAIRC 5

File number: SAD 52 of 2017

Judge: MORTIMER, WHITE AND BROMWICH JJ

Date of judgment: 14 May 2018

Catchwords: INDUSTRIAL LAW – appeal from former Industrial Relations Court of South Australia – two employees were entitled to redundancy payments from the appellant – whether the employees' service with the appellant's predecessors was "previously agreed industry service" so as to be taken into account in the calculation of the redundancy payments – construction of industrial awards and agreements – whether agreement with employees was superseded by later enterprise agreement – contractual effect of representations by the appellant's predecessors – whether a union official was one employee's agent – appeal dismissed.

Legislation: Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) s 4 Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) ss 50, 186, 323, 546, 551 Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) s 79(1) Workplace Relations Act 1996 (Cth) ss 17LG, 170LT 170M, 729 Workplace Relations Amendment (Work Choices) Act 2005 (Cth) Evidence Act 1929 (SA) Fair Work Act 1994 (SA) s 154 Tasmanian Ports Corporation Act 2005 (Tas)

Cases cited: Australian Energy Ltd v Lennard Oil NL [1986] 2 Qd R 216 Amalgamated Colleries of WA Ltd v True (1937) 59 CLR 417 Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd v Wardley (1980) 142 CLR 237 Byrne v Australian Airlines Ltd (1995) 185 CLR 410 Charben Haulage Pty Ltd v Environmental & Earth Sciences Pty Ltd [2004] FCA 403 Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v BHP Coal Pty Ltd [2015] FCAFC 25; (2015) 230 FCR 298 Coulton v Holcombe (1986) 162 CLR 1 County Securities Pty Ltd v Challenger Group Holdings Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 193 Ermogenous v Greek Orthodox Community of SA Inc [2002] HCA 8; (2002) 209 CLR 95 Film Bars Pty Ltd v Pacific Film Laboratories Pty Ltd (1979) 1 BPR 9,251 Fox v Percy [2003] HCA 22; (2003) 214 CLR 118 Franklins Pty Ltd v Metcash Trading Ltd [2009] NSWCA 407; (2009) 76 NSWLR 603 Griggs v Noris Group of Companies [2006] SASC 23; (2006) 94 SASR 126 Hamilton-Smith v George [2006] FCA 1551; (2006) 247 FCR 238 LMI Australasia Pty Ltd v Baulderstone Hornibrook Pty Ltd [2001] NSWSC 688; (2001) 53 NSWLR 31 Pacific Carriers Ltd v BNP Paribas [2004] HCA 35; (2004) 218 CLR 451 Pollitt v The Queen (1992) 174 CLR 558 Quickenden v O'Connor [2001] FCA 303; (2001) 109 FCR 243 Regreen Asset Holdings Pty Ltd v Castricum Brothers Australia Pty Ltd [2015] VSCA 286 Rizeq v Western Australia [2017] HCA 23; (2017) 344 ALR 421 Robinson Helicopter Company Inc v McDermott [2016] HCA 22; (2016) 331 ALR 550 Ryan v Textile Clothing & Footwear Union Australia [1996] 2 VR 235 Subramaniam v Public Prosecutor [1956] 1 WLR 965 Taylor v Johnson (1983) 151 CLR 422 Toll (FGCT) Pty Ltd v Alphapharm Pty Ltd [2004] HCA 52; (2004) 219 CLR 165 Toyota Motor Corporation Australia Limited v Marmara [2014] FCAFC 84; (2014) 222 FCR 152 Transport Workers' Union of Australia v Linfox Australia Pty Ltd [2014] FCA 829; (2014) 318 ALR 54 Visscher v Giudice [2009] HCA 34; (2009) 239 CLR 361 Australian Law Reform Commission, Principled Regulation: Federal Civil and Administrative Penalties in Australia, Report No 95 (2002) Heydon J D, Cross on Evidence (LexisNexis Butterworths, 11th Australian ed, 2017) Odgers S, Uniform Evidence Law (Lawbook, 12th ed, 2016)