Transport Workers' Union of Australia v Qantas Airways Limited [2021] FCA 873

Federal Court of Australia

Transport Workers' Union of Australia v Qantas Airways Limited [2021] FCA 873 File number: NSD 1309 of 2020

Judgment of: LEE J

Date of judgment: 30 July 2021

Catchwords: EMPLOYMENT LAW – adverse action – decision of Qantas to outsource ground handling operations at ten Australian airports in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic – whether substantial and operative reason for outsourcing was for a prohibited reason – ss 340 and 346 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) – consideration of the "reverse onus" – consideration of the legal principles applicable to corporate decision making – failure of Qantas to discharge onus in relation to one prohibited reason – balance of relief either not pressed or dismissed – exact form of declaration to be determined EVIDENCE – consideration of the principle in Browne v Dunn (1893) 6 R. 67 – witnesses on notice of a challenge to their evidence as to identity of the relevant decision maker and reasons – necessity not to confuse matters of style with substance

Legislation: Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) s 36, 136, 140 Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) ss 340, 341, 346, 360, 361, 793 Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) s 37P Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) r 30.01

Cases cited: Amcor Ltd v Barnes [2012] VSC 434 Australasian Meat Industry Employees' Union v Belandra Pty Ltd [2003] FCA 910; (2003) 126 IR 165 Australian Red Cross Society v Queensland Nurses' Union of Employees [2019] FCAFC 215; (2019) 273 FCR 332 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Hellicar [2012] HCA 17; (2012) 247 CLR 345 Australian Workers' Union v John Holland [2001] FCA 93; (2001) 103 IR 205 Axon v Axon (1937) 59 CLR 395 Ballard v Multiplex [2012] NSWSC 426 Board of Bendigo Regional Institute of Technical and Further Education v Barclay [2012] HCA 32; (2012) 248 CLR 500 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Brown v New South Wales Trustee and Guardian [2012] NSWCA 431; (2012) 10 ASTLR 164 Browne v Dunn (1893) 6 R. 67 CCL Secure Pty Ltd v Berry [2019] FCAFC 81 Celand v Skycity Adelaide Pty Ltd [2017] FCAFC 222; (2017) 256 FCR 306 Chen v State of New South Wales (No 2) [2016] NSWCA 292 CKC16 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2018] FCA 1260 Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Anglo Coal (Dawson Services) Pty Ltd [2015] FCAFC 157; (2015) 238 FCR 273 Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v BHP Coal Pty Ltd [2014] HCA 41; (2014) 253 CLR 243 Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v De Martin & Gasparini Pty Ltd (No 2) [2017] FCA 1046 Edgington v Fitzmaurice [1885] 29 Ch D 459 Elliott v Kodak Australasia Pty Ltd [2001] FCA 1804; (2001) 129 IR 251 Ethicon Sàrl v Gill [2021] FCAFC 29; (2021) 387 ALR 494 Fox v Percy [2003] HCA 22; (2003) 214 CLR 118 General Motors-Holden's Pty Ltd v Bowling (1976) 51 ALJR 235 Gestmin SGPS SA v Credit Suisse (UK) Limited [2013] EWHC 3560 (Comm) Greater Dandenong City Council v Australian Municipal, Administrative, Clerical and Services Union [2001] FCA 349; (2001) 112 FCR 232 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Katragadda v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2020] FCAFC 143 Leahey v CSG Business Solutions (Aus) Pty Ltd [2017] FCA 1098 Liberty Mutual Insurance Company Australian Branch trading as Liberty Specialty Markets v Icon Co (NSW) Pty Ltd [2021] FCAFC 126 Lloyd v Belconnen Lakeview Pty Ltd [2019] FCA 2177; (2019) 377 ALR 234 Mealey v Power [2015] NSWSC 1678 Morley v Australian Securities and Investments Commission [2010] NSWCA 331; (2010) 274 ALR 205 National Tertiary Education Union v Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology [2013] FCA 451; (2013) 234 IR 139 Nguyen v Cosmopolitan Homes [2008] NSWCA 246 NOM v DPP [2012] VSCA 198; (2012) 38 VR 618 Precision Plastics Pty Limited v Demir (1975) 132 CLR 362 Qantas Airways Limited v Gama [2008] FCAFC 69; (2008) 167 FCR 537 Qantas Airways Ltd v Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association (No 3) [2020] FCA 1428; (2020) 299 IR 100 Qantas Airways Ltd v Transport Workers' Union of Australia [2011] FCA 470; (2011) 211 IR 1 Queensland v Masson [2020] HCA 28; (2020) 94 ALJR 785 Seltsam Pty Ltd v McGuiness [2000] NSWCA 29; (2000) 49 NSWLR 262 Stead v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd [2021] FCA 15; (2021) 387 ALR 123 Tattsbet v Morrow [2015] FCAFC 62; (2015) 233 FCR 46 White Industries (Qld) Pty Ltd v Flower & Hart (a firm) (1988) 156 ALR 169 Wong v National Australia Bank Limited [2021] FCA 671