Wood v Commonwealth Bank of Australia [1996] IRCA 191

DECISION NO: 191/96 CATCHWORDS INDUSTRIAL LAW - TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT - PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE - production of documents - claim of legal privilege - whether privilege arises where author of document is industrial officer of union rather than legal practitioner - discretion to order production of documents. Industrial Relations Act 1988 ss 4, 170EA, 188, 347(1), ( 469(7), Industrial Relations Act 1971 ss 146(6) Industrial Relations Court Rules O15r11, O15r14 Evidence Act (Commonwealth) 1995 ss 117, 118, 119, 120, 134 Legal Practitioners' Act (WA) 1893 (as amended) Cross on Evidence, Australian Loose Leaf Edition, Butterworths Law of Privilege, McNicol, Law Book Company Limited, 1992 Commonwealth Law Reform Commission Interim Report No. 26, Vol. 2 A Matter of Privilege (1989), R Baxt, 60 Chartered Accountant 34 & 35 Uniform Evidence Law, Odgers, Federation Press, 1995 TPC v Sperling (1979) 36 FLR 244 Jones v Great Central Railway Company [1910] AC 4 M & W Grazebrook & Wallins [1973] A11 ER 868 Grant v Downs (1976) 135 CLR 674 Waterford v The Commonwealth (1986-87) 163 CLR 54 Carter v The Managing Partner, Northmore, Hale, Davy and Leake and Ors (1994-95) 183 CLR 121 Attorney General (NT) v Maurice (1986) 161 CLR 475 AM&S Europe Ltd v Commissioner of European Committees [1983] QB 878 Jay Bradley WOOD -v- COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA - WI 1022 of 1996

Attorney General (NT) v Kearney (1985) 158 CLR 500 Baker v Campbell (1983) 153 CLR 52 Mallesons v KPMG Peat Marwick & Others (1991) 4 LAR 357 Re Van Laun; Ex parte Chatterton (1907) 2 EB 23 Law Society (NSW) v Harvey [1976] 2 NSWLR 154 Jay Bradley WOOD -v- COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA - WI 1022 of 1996 Before: RITTER JR Place: PERTH Date: 1 MAY 1996

IN THE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS COURT OF AUSTRALIA WESTERN AUSTRALIA DISTRICT REGISTRY WI 1022 of 1996 B E T W E E N: Jay Bradley WOOD Applicant A N D: COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA Respondent REASONS FOR DECISION 1 MAY 1996 RITTER JR BACKGROUND