Quickenden v Commissioner O'Connor of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission [2001] FCA 303

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Quickenden v Commissioner O'Connor of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission [2001] FCA 303

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW – corporations power – characterisation of laws with respect to trading and financial corporations – criteria of identification of trading and financial corporations – laws relating to certified agreements with trading or financial corporations – whether laws with respect to such corporations – university – whether trading corporation or financial corporation – trading and financial activities – whether substantial or significant – acquisition of property – alleged displacement of common law contractual rights by certified agreement – whether displacement occurred – whether acquisition of property – whether just terms CORPORATIONS – trading and financial corporations – characteristics – university – trading and financial activities INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS - certified agreements – binding on employer and union and on non-party employees – whether law relating to corporations – whether valid exercise of corporations power – whether acquisition of property by effect on common law contractual rights.

Workplace Relations Act 1966 (Cth) ss 170LJ, 347, 170LI, 170LM, 170LE University of Western Australia Act 1911 (WA) ss 6. 3 Financial Administration and Audit Act 1985 (WA) s 41 Higher Education Funding Act 1988 (Cth) Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) s 78B, s 78A Re Dingjan; Ex parte Wagner (1995) 183 CLR 323 applied Commonwealth v State of Tasmania (1983) 158 CLR 1 discussed State Superannuation Board v Trade Practices Commission (1982) 150 CLR 282 referred to Huddart, Parker & Co Pty Ltd v Moorehead (1909) 8 CLR 330 discussed Strickland v Rocla Concrete Pipes Ltd (1971) 124 CLR 468 discussed The Queen v Trade Practices Tribunal; Ex parte St George County Council (1974) 130 CLR 533 referred to The Queen v Federal Court of Australia; Ex parte Western Australian National Football League (Inc) (1979) 143 CLR 190 discussed Actors and Announcers Equity Association of Australia v Fontana Films Pty Ltd (1982) 150 CLR 169 discussed Rowe v Transport Workers' Union of Australia (1998) 90 FCR 95 mentioned Fencott v Muller (1983) 152 CLR 570 E v Australian Red Cross Society & Ors (1991) 99 ALR 601 referred to Palser v Grinling [1948] AC 291 referred to Dowling v Dalgety Australia Ltd (1992) 34 FCR 109 referred to ASX Operations Pty Ltd v Pont Data Australia Pty Ltd (No 1) (1990) 27 FCR 460 referred to Ku-ring-gai Co-operative Building Society (No 12) Ltd (1978) 22 ALR 621 referred to Byrne v Australian Airlines Ltd (1995) 185 CLR 410 referred to Nintendo Co Ltd v Centronics Systems Pty Ltd (1994) 181 CLR 134 referred to Air Services Australia v Canadian Airlines International Ltd (1997) 167 ALR 392 referred to Re McJannet; Ex parte The Australian Workers' Union of Employees, Queensland (No 2) (1997) 189 CLR 654 referred to