One Tree Community Services Inc v United Voice [2019] FCA 1309

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

One Tree Community Services Inc v United Voice [2019] FCA 1309 File number: WAD 389 of 2019

Judge: MCKERRACHER J

Date of judgment: 19 August 2019

Catchwords: INDUSTRIAL LAW – where dispute about payment of redundancy and recognition of service of transferred employees was referred to Fair Work Commission for arbitration – employer challenged Commission's jurisdiction – Commission satisfied as to jurisdiction INDUSTRIAL LAW – where the employer commenced proceedings in this Court challenging the Commission's jurisdiction to arbitrate – whether the new employer 'consented' to arbitration – scope of agreement to arbitrate – parties to agreement to arbitrate CONSTITUTIONAL LAW – whether the Commission would be impermissibly exercising judicial power in arbitrating the dispute – private arbitration – whether the Commission would be infringing Ch III of the Constitution PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – application for interlocutory relief – whether a prima facie case established – whether balance of convenience favoured relief

Legislation: Constitution s 71 Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) ss 50, 52(1), 53(3)(a), 122(1), 182(1), 186, 186(6), 311, 311(2), 313, 313(1), 313(1)(a), 320, 562, 595(1), 595(3), 595(5), 738(b), 739, 739(4), 793 Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) ss 39B(1), 39B(1A)(b), 39B(1A)(c), 78B, 78B(5)

Cases cited: Australian Broadcasting Corporation v O'Neill (2006) 227 CLR 57 Balfour Beatty Power Construction Australia Pty Ltd v Kidston Goldmines Ltd [1989] 2 Qd R 105 Burwood Cinema Ltd v Australian Theatrical and Amusement Employees' Association (1925) 35 CLR 528 City of Wanneroo v Australian Municipal, Administrative, Clerical and Services Union (2006) 153 IR 426 Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Australian Industrial Relation Commission (2001) 203 CLR 645 Endeavour Energy v Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia (2016) 244 FCR 178 Energy Australia Yallourn Pty Ltd v Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union [2017] FCA 1245 Energy Australia Yallourn Pty Ltd v Automotive, Food, Metal, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union (2018) 363 ALR 60 Hi-Fert Pty Ltd v United Shipping Adriatic Inc (1998) 89 FCR 166 Regional Express Holdings Ltd v Australian Federation of Air Pilots (2017) 262 CLR 456 Rinehart v Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd (2019) 93 ALJR 582 TCL Air Conditioner (Zhongshan) Co Ltd v Judges of Federal Court of Australia (2013) 251 CLR 533 United Voice v One Tree Community Services Inc [2019] FWC 4285 Walter Rau Neusser Oel und Fett AG v Cross Pacific Trading Ltd [2005] FCA 1102