Boers and South Sydney Council [2003] NSWIRComm 105

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales

CITATION : Boers and South Sydney Council [2003] NSWIRComm 105 APPLICANT PARTIES : John Boers RESPONDENT South Sydney Council FILE NUMBER: 4031 of 2002 CORAM: Sams DP Termination of employment - unfair dismissal - allegations of serious misconduct - work performance - applicant's allegations of sexual discrimination and victimisation - allegations of homophobia - offensive emails - investigation of email distribution - Code of Conduct - conflicts of interest - pecuniary and non pecuniary conflicts of interest - Local Government Act - Disciplinary and Counselling Policy - disciplinary inquiries - hostility of management - complaint to Anti-Discrimination Board - recommendations of disciplinary inquiry not implemented - failure to advise of conflict of interest - refusal to comply with reasonable directions - principles of summary dismissal - witness credit - medical assessment - mitigating factors. CATCHWORDS : Held, no reasonable basis for applicant's allegations of discrimination - no evidence of homophobia - respondent's investigation of offensive email thorough and exhaustive - applicant ignored reasonable management direction - applicant aware of Code of Conduct - applicant failed to declare conflict of interest - applicant's explanations not credible - serious misconduct proven - disciplinary inquiries conducted according to Council's policy - applicant given opportunity to respond to allegations - no denial of procedural fairness - medical evidence contradictory and unreliable - no mitigating factors - previous work performance considered - dismissal not harsh, unreasonable or unjust - application dismissed. Industrial Relations Act 1996 LEGISLATION CITED : Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 Local Government Act 1993 Antonakopoulos v State Bank of New South Wales (1999) 91 IR 385 Bankstown City Council v Paris (1999) 93 IR 209 Bigg & Anor v NSW Police Service (1998) 80 IR 434 Busways v Johnson (1994) 55 IR 255 Byrne & Anor v Australian Airlines (1995) 61 IR 32 Crown Employees Teachers in Schools and TAFE and Related Employees Salaries and Conditions Award [2002] NSWIRComm 144 D & R Commercial v Flood [2002] NSWIRComm 88 Electricity Commission of New South Wales t/as Pacific Power v Crump (1993) 48 IR 296 Federated Municipal and Shire Council Employees' Union of Australia, New South Wales Division, on behalf of Bowman, and City of Sydney Council [2001] NSWIRComm 91 Franklins Ltd v Webb (1996) 72 IR 257 Hill v Department of Juvenile Justice (unreported, Sams DP, NSWIRComm 128, 27 July 2000) CASES CITED : John Lysaght (Australia) Limited and Federated Ironworkers' Association of Australia, New South Wales Division & Ors (unreported, Sheppard J, Matter 259 of 1972, 14 September 1972) Little v Commissioner of Police (2002) 112 IR 212 Metropolitan Meat Industries Board v Australian Meat Industry Employees' Union, New South Wales Branch (1973) 73 AR 231 Outboard World v Muir (1993) 51 IR 167 Paris and Bankstown City Council (unreported, McLeay C, IRC97/5426, 22 January 1999) Pastrycooks Employees, Biscuit Maker Employees & Flour and Sugar Goods Workers Union (NSW) v Gartrell White No 3 (1990) 35 IR 70 Shop, Distributive & Allied Employees' Association v Jewel Food Stores (1987) 22 IR 1 Standley and Electronics Boutique Pty Ltd (unreported, Sams DP, IRC98/4516, 18 March 1999) Stonham v Speaker of Legislative Assembly [2003] NSWIRComm 30 Wang v Crestell Industries Pty Ltd (1997) 73 IR 454 Western Suburbs District Ambulance Committee v Tipping (1957) AR (NSW) 273 Wilson v Department of Education and Training [2000] NSWIRComm 20 Youssef and Western Sydney Area Health Service [2002] NSWIRComm 8 HEARING DATES: 03/03/2003; 03/04/2003; 03/05/2003; 03/06/2003; 03/07/2003; 03/24/2003; 04/30/2003; 05/19/2003; 09/05/2003 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 10/30/2003