Robert Darcy Coombs v Patrick Stevedores Holdings Pty Ltd [2002] NSWIRComm 215

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : Robert Darcy Coombs v Patrick Stevedores Holdings Pty Ltd [2002] NSWIRComm 215 PROSECUTOR: Robert Darcy Coombs PARTIES : DEFENDANT: Patrick Stevedores Holdings Pty Ltd. FILE NUMBER: IRC 5194, 6102, 6103, 6104, 6105 of 2000 CORAM: Haylen J Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 - s 15 - five charges arising from the same factual circumstances - similar particulars - "no case" submissions - whether duplicity - whether nature of charges led to "double jeopardy" or abuse of process - whether s 15 able to be pleaded as a continuing offence - principles considered - previous challenge by motion raising duplicity, double jeopardy and abuse of process - whether defendant's conduct of previous challenge permitted further consideration of same issues - "no case" submission rejected

CATCHWORDS : Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 - s 48(1)(a) - whether Minister gave consent to prosecutions - time at which challenge to consent should be made - proper for prosecution to be permitted to re-open evidence on issue of consent - consent not element of offence - proof of consent procedural issue only - general consent sufficient - evidence of materials submitted to Minister requesting consent - whether "authority to prosecute" a valid consent - consent valid

Occupational Health and Safety Act, s 49A - duplicity - abuse of process - object and purpose of amendment considered - object and purpose of Act considered Industrial Relations Act 1996 (NSW) Chapter 5 s 168 Industrial Relation Commission Rules Part 27A r 217B LEGISLATION CITED : Interpretation Act 1987 s 35 Justices Act s 57 Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 15 (2) s15(2)(b)(i) s 48(1)(a) 48(1) (c) s 49A Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Act (No 51) of 1997 Supreme Court (Summary Jurisdiction) Act 1967 s 4(1) Burgess v Kaputar Timbers Pty Ltd (1999) 91 IR 378 Byrne v Baker [1964] VR 443 Capral Aluminium v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (1999-2000) 49 NSWLR 610 at 629-30. Carrington Slipways Pty Ltd v Callaghan (1985) 11 IR 467 Coombs v Patricks Stevedores Holdings Pty Ltd [2001] NSWIRComm 39 (2001) 103 IR 417 Concrete Constructions Group Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Dubois) (2000) 99 IR 16 CSR v EPA (2000) 110 LGERA 334 at 340-342 Dever v Creevey ex parte Creevey [1992] 1 QdR 232 Environmental Protection Authority v Australian Iron and Steel Pty Ltd (1992) 28 NSWLR 502 Ex parte Johnson re MacMillan (1946) 47 SR (NSW) 16 Gilmour v Midways Springwood Pty Ltd (1980) 49 FLR 36 at 38 Griffiths v R (1994) 125 ALR 545 at 548 Haynes v CI&D Manufacturing Pty Ltd and anor (1995) 60 IR 149 John Graham Kemp v Gough & Gilmour Pty Ltd NSW CCA (unreported, 14 February 1995) Inspector Taylor v Fletcher International Exports Pty Ltd [2001] NSWIRComm 155 Mendleson (1973) 57 Cr App R 849 at 855 - 856 Meiklejohn v Central Norseman (1998) 19 WAR 298 Newbury v Smith (1991) IR 314 Ombudsman v Moroney [1983] 1 NSWLR 317 Palos Verdes Estates Pty Ltd v Carbon (1992) 6 WAR 223 Pearce v R (1998) 194 CLR 410 Price v Humphries [1958] 2 QB 353 R v Bacon [1973] 1 NSWLR 87, 96 CASES CITED : R v Bates (1911) 1 KB 964 at 965 R v Cain [1976] 1 QB 496 R v Cooling [1990] 1 Qd R at 378 R v Greenfield, Barker, Creek R v Hamzy (1994) 74 A Crim R 341 R v Harkins [1958] VR 543 at 545) R v Metz 11 Cr App R 164 R v Moussad [1999] NSW CCA 337 (unreported, 27 October 1999) R v Thompson [1914] 2 KB 99) R v Schildkamp [1971] AC 1 Rodney Morrison v Dartbrook Coal Pty Ltd v Tecrete Industries Pty Ltd [20002] NSWIRComm 127 Rodney Morrison v United Collieries Pty Ltd [2002] NSWIRComm 173 S v The Queen (1989) 168 CLR 266 Shaw v R 91952) 85 CLR 365 at 380 Schulz v Virgin (1966) SASR 94 Slogget v Adams (1953) 70 WN 206 SRA v Dawson (1990) 37 IR 110 at 121 Speed v Thomas Swift & Co [1943] 1 KB 557 at 563-564 Tecrete Industries Pty Ltd [20002] NSWIRComm 127 Traveland Pty Ltd v Doherty (1982) 6 A Crim R 181 at 185 Walsh v Tattersalls (1996) 188 CLR 77 Woolmington v DPP (1935) AC 462 at 481 Workcover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Maltby) v Abigroup Contractors Pty Ltd Workcover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Mansell) v Luis Bustamante [2002] NSWIRComm 187 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Keenan) v Lucon (Australia) Pty Ltd (2002) 112 IR 332 [at paragraph [91] HEARING DATES: 07/30/2001; 08/01/2001; 09/04/2001; 09/11/2001; 09/20/2001; 09/28/2001; 10/05/2001; 02/05/2002; 02/06/2002; 02/07/2002; 02/08/2002; 02/11/2002; 02/12/2002; 02/13/2002; 02/14/2002; 02/18/2002; 02/19/2002; 02/20/2002; 02/21/2002; 02/25/2002; 02/26/2002; 02/27/2002; 02/28/2002; 03/20/2002; 03/21/2002; 04/05/2002; 04/29/2002; 07/29/2002 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 08/29/2002