Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave Funding) Corporation v Hitachi Construction Machinery (Australia) Pty Ltd (Penalty) [2023] FCA 1187

Federal Court of Australia Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave Funding) Corporation v Hitachi Construction Machinery (Australia) Pty Ltd (Penalty) [2023] FCA 1187 File number: NSD 843 of 2021

Judgment of: RAPER J

Date of judgment: 6 October 2023

Catchwords: INDUSTRIAL LAW – pecuniary penalties – determination of appropriate penalty – where respondent contravened ss 5(1) and 10(1) of Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Payroll Levy Collection Act 1992 (Cth) – where mistake of fact defence under s 95 of Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Act 2014 (Cth) relied upon by the respondent without being pleaded – whether a single penalty ought be applied by operation of the statutory double jeopardy provision under s 84(2) of the Act – application of the appropriate penalty COSTS – where respondent seeks apportionment of costs on issue-by-issue basis – whether costs to be awarded to the applicant should be discounted

Legislation: Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Administration Act 1992 (Cth) ss 4, 4(b), 49A Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Payroll Levy Act 1992 (Cth) s 6 Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Payroll Levy Collection Act 1992 (Cth) ss 4, 5(1), 6, 10(1), 13A(5), 13A(5)(a), 13A(5)(b), 13A(5)(c) Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) ss 417, 421, 546(1) Federal Court Act 1976 (Cth) Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Act 2014 (Cth) Pt 4, ss 82(2), 82(3), 82(5)(a), 82(6), 82(6)(a), 82(6)(b), 82(6)(c), 82(6)(d), 83(1), 84(2), 85, 95, 95(1)(a)(ii)