Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Pilbara Iron Company (Services) Pty Ltd (No 4) [2012] FCA 894

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Pilbara Iron Company (Services) Pty Ltd (No 4) [2012] FCA 894 Citation: Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Pilbara Iron Company (Services) Pty Ltd (No 4) [2012] FCA 894

Parties: CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION and DARYL PETER LAMBERTH v PILBARA IRON COMPANY (SERVICES) PTY LTD (ACN 107 210 248)

File number: NSD 1928 of 2011

Judge: KATZMANN J

Date of judgment: 22 August 2012

Catchwords: INDUSTRIAL LAW – Civil penalty – Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), s 546 – where employer took adverse action for prohibited reasons – multiple contraventions – whether arose out of a single course of conduct – relevance of employee's conduct where employee's behaviour contributed to employer's action – relevance of the operation of the "reverse onus" – factors relevant to determining seriousness of contraventions

Legislation: Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) s 4AA Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) ss 361, 539(2), 540, 546, 557

Cases cited: ACE Insurance Limited v Trifunovski (No 2) [2012] FCA 79 Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association v International Aviation Service Assistance Pty Ltd (No 2) (2011) 205 IR 465 Australian Ophthalmic Supplies Pty Ltd v McAlary-Smith (2008) 165 FCR 560 Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Cahill (2010) 194 IR 461 Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Pilbara Iron Company (Services) Pty Ltd (No 3) [2012] FCA 697 Kelly v Fitzpatrick (2007) 166 IR 14 Mason v Harrington Corporation Pty Ltd [2007] FMCA 7 Ponzio v B & P Caelli Constructions Pty Ltd (2007) 158 FCR 543 QR Ltd v Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia (2010) 204 IR 142 Royer v Western Australia (2009) 197 A Crim R 319 Sharpe v Dogma Enterprises Pty Ltd [2007] FCA 1550