ARMSTRONG V ELLIOTT & & ELLIOTT V ARMSTRONG [1997] IRCA 70

DECISION NO:70/97 CATCHWORDS INDUSTRIAL LAW - registered organisation - rules - performance and observance - powers to amend rules - whether power of national council limited - autonomy of branches - branch power to make rules for internal management - whether national council could make rule excluding branch power - whether timing of branch election a matter of the internal management of branches - rules altered by postal ballot of national council - whether amendment of proposal possible. Workplace Relations Act 1996 s 195(1)(b)(iv), s 196, s 205, s 209. Industrial Relations Court Rules o 29 r 2. Imlach v. Daley (1985) 7 FCR 457. Roots v. Mutton (1978) 32 FLR 15. Australian Transport Officers Federation v. State Public Services Federation (1981) 50 FLR 438. JAN ARMSTRONG V. ROBERT ELLIOTT & ORS NO. VI 2789 of 1996 AND ROBERT ELLIOTT V. JAN ARMSTRONG & ORS NO. VI 2790 of 1996 JUDGE: GRAY J. PLACE: MELBOURNE DATE: 14 MARCH 1997

IN THE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ) ) No. VI 2789 of 1996 COURT OF AUSTRALIA ) No. VI 2790 of 1996 ) VICTORIA DISTRICT REGISTRY ) B E T W E E N: JAN ARMSTRONG Applicant - and - ROBERT ELLIOTT, R. VAN AREND, M. BARRETT, J. BREMNER, L. BUTLER, D. BYRON, P. CLAPHAM, B. COFFEY, T. CONOULTY, F. CORNFORD, S. CRONIN, D. DAVIES, D. DEWES, K.D. GEDDES, H. DALTON, K. DARVENIZA, T. DOLAN, J. DRUMMOND, F. DYSON, S. EICHENBAUM, P. ELLISON, J. EVANS, V. FAHEY, B. GANNINO, T. GARCIA, L. GILLETT, G. GILLS, B. GOULDING, B. GUNNING, M. HALL, J. HANKINSON, H. HARRISON, M. HART, R. HARVEY, P. HEREWINI, D. HILL, M. HOPGOOD, P. INGWERSEN, J. JACKSON, J. JENSZ, J. KANARA-HOBSON, E. KELLY, J. KENNEISON, I. KNIGHT, M. MALONEY, W. MASSEY, S. McCORMACK, W. MILES, Z. MITCHELL, J. MITCHELL, K. MOORE, L. MURDOCH, D. MURPHY, N. MYERS, J. NAVAS, S. NOLAN, R. O'BRIEN, S. POLLARD, J. RICHMOND, G. ROGERS, K. RYAN, A. SHAW, G. SHELVERTON, C. THOMSON, M. TIMBS, B. TOLLEY, T. TRACEY, L. WALSH, D. WHITWORTH, L. WILLIAMS, M. WILLIAMSON, A. WILSON, B. WOODWARD, C. BURNS, R. FELTHAM, T. HAWKINS, A. LILLICRAP, J. MARGAETTS, P. MOYLAN, S. O'CONNOR, K. RUBY, G. WEBSTER, J. WILSON, J. YAMMOUNI, J. MITCHELL and K. McINTOSH Respondents AND ROBERT ELLIOTT Applicant - and - JAN ARMSTRONG, G. GILLS, C. NADER, P. ELLISON, J. JENSZ, D. GILLESPIE, F. CARROL, M. GORGAL, R. McCUBBIN, S. McCORMACK, R. VAN AREND, D. GREGOR, J. KENNIESON, F. LANCASTER, V. FAHEY Respondents JUDGE: Gray J. PLACE: Melbourne DATE: 14 March 1997 MINUTE OF ORDER THE COURT ORDERS THAT: 1. The preliminary questions be answered as follows: