Justin Thomas and Christie Direct Pty Ltd [2003] NSWIRComm 25

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales

CITATION : Justin Thomas and Christie Direct Pty Ltd [2003] NSWIRComm 25 APPLICANT: PARTIES : Justin Thomas RESPONDENT: Christie Direct Pty Ltd FILE NUMBER: 6638 of 2001 CORAM: Sams DP Notice of motion - costs in unfair dismissal proceedings - s181(2)(c) and s181 of the Act - whether unreasonable refusal to settle claim - Calderbank letter - conduct of the parties - application for indemnity costs - principles considered. CATCHWORDS : Held, employer unreasonably refused to settle claim - circumstances not "unusual" or "out of the ordinary" - exercise of discretion - indemnity costs not appropriate - costs on a party to party basis. LEGISLATION CITED : Industrial Relations Act 1996 Legal Profession Act 1987 Bankstown City Council v Paris (1999) 93 IR 209 Calderbank v Calderbank (1975) 3 All ER 333 Multicon Engineering Pty Ltd v Federal Airports Corporation (1996) 138 ALR 425 Skalkos v Assaf (No.2) [2002] NSWCA 236 (23 July 2002) Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union, on behalf of Mark Harrison and Keith Donaldson and Australian Co-operative Foods Limited [2001] NSWIRComm 29 John Paul Reed and Southstate Industrial Supplies Pty Ltd [2001] NSWIRComm 185 Passas v Skouloudis Group Pty Ltd t/as O Kosmos [2001] NSWIRComm 124 Four Sons Pty Limited v Sakchai Limsiripothong (No.2) (2000) 100 IR 400 Van Huisstede and the Commissioner of Police (No.2) (2001) 106 IR 56 CASES CITED : Blagojevch v Australian Industrial Relations Commission (2000) 98 IR 32 Tuholi Pty Ltd v Caltex Australia Petroleum Pty Limited [2001] IRComm 7 Cornell v Titley [2002] NSWIRComm 326 Mervat Wahba and Miles Fresh Food Market t/as Brighton Fruit Barn Pty Ltd IRC98/4413, unreported, Sams DP, 29 July 1999 Douglas John Talbot and Rostcom Pty Ltd [1999] NSWIRComm 500 Hazel Lang v Reid and Vasely, [2000] NSWIRComm 23 Timothy Fox v GIO Australia Limited [2002] IRComm 318 Bell & Berg v Macquarie Bank Limited and Anor [2003] NSWIRComm 21 Burgess & Ors v Mount Thorley Operations Pty Limited [2003] NSWIRComm 22 Ballard v Incoll Management (No.2) [2001] NSWIRComm 217 HEARING DATES: 11/05/2002 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 02/18/2003