Russell v The Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Archdiocese of Sydney [2004] NSWIRComm 65

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales

CITATION : Russell v The Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Archdiocese of Sydney [2004] NSWIRComm 65 APPLICANT David Russell PARTIES : RESPONDENT The Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Archdiocese of Sydney FILE NUMBER: IRC 770 of 2003 CORAM: Harrison DP CATCHWORDS : Appliction re unfair dismissal pursuant to s84 of the Industrial Relations Act 1996 - misconduct - alleged condonement of sexual abuse of children - significant time elapsed between event and allegation - question of fact - difficulty in recollection of events as child by adult - corroboration - test to be applied is on balance of probabilities - requires consideration of the available evidence - role of ordinary human experience in propensity to act in manner alleged. Held - absence of corroboration - evidence allows for various dates of event - surrounding facts mitigate against probability of allegation - evidence does not allow necessary comfortable satisfaction that allegation is sustained - termination of employment harsh, unreasonable and unjust - reinstatement ordered with recovery of wages lost and continuity of service. LEGISLATION CITED : Industrial Relations Act 1996 Evidence Act 1995 Public Service Association and Professional Officers' Association Amalgamated Union of New South Wales of a dispute with NSW Fisheries re alleged treatment of employee in restructure [1999] NSWIRComm 135 Waterford and The Commonwealth of Australia [1987] 163 CLR 54 Alcoota Aboriginal Corporation and Another v Gray and others [2001] 161 FLR 95 Gough & Gilmour v Catepillar (No1) [2001] NSWIRComm 73 Pastrycooks Employees, Biscuit Makers Employees & Flour and Sugar Goods Workers Union (NSW) v Gartrell White (No 2) [1990] 35 IR 60 Pastrycooks Employees, Biscuit Makers Employees & Flour and Sugar Goods Workers Union (NSW) v Gartrell White (No 3) [1990] 35 IR 70 Franklins Ltd v Webb [1996] 72 IR 257 Wang v Crestell Industries Pty Ltd [1997] 73 IR 454 Bounouar v The Spanish Club Ltd [1998] 94 IR 166 Transport Industries Insurance Co v Longmuir [1997] 1 VR 125 Briginshaw v Briginshaw [1938] 60 CLR 336 Neat Holdings Pty Limited v Karajan Holdings Pty Limited [1992] 67 ALJR 170 G v H [1994] 181 CLR 387 In re H. and others (Minors) [1996] AC 563 In re Dellow's Will Trusts [1964] 1 WLR 451 Whitlam v Australian Securities and Investment Commission [2003] 199 ALR 674 Four Sons Pty Ltd v Sakchai Limsiripothong [2000] 98 IR 1 Coles Myer Ltd v Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association [1989] 27 IR 299 Bigg v NSW Police Service [1998] 80 IR 434 Helton v Allen [1940] 63 CLR 691 Bhandari v Advocate's Committee [1956] 1 WLR 1442 Marsden v Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd [2001] NSWSC510 Barten v Williams [1978] 20 ACTR 10 Wilcox v Sing [1985] 2 Qd R 66 R V Hull Prison Board of Visitors [1979] 3 All ER 545 CASES CITED : Rainsford v Governor of Her Majesty's Prison at Ararat [2000] VSC 141 Doggett v The Queen [2001] 208 CLR 343 Director of Public Prosecutions v Hester [1973] AC 296 Director of Public Prosecutions v Boardman [1975] AC 421 Longman v R [1989] 168 CLR 79 Kelleher v R [1974] 131 CLR 534 R v Vawdrey NSW Court of Criminal Appeal, 16/4/98, unreported R v Murray [1987] 11 NSWLR 12 Crampton v R [2000] 206 CLR 161 State Rail Authority of NSW v Earthline Constructions Pty Ltd (in liq) [1999] 73 ALJR 306 Palmer v R [1998] 193 CLR 1 Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd v Marsden [2002] NSWCA 419 Kilby v R [1973] 129 CLR 460 Attorney General of Hong Kong and Wong Muk Ping [1987] 1 AC 501 Ian Ueckert and Australian Water Technologies Pty Ltd [2000] NSWIRComm 123 Ross v GN Comtext (Australia) Pty Limited [2000] NSWIRComm 133 Bankstown City Council v Paris [1999] 100 IR 363 Mills v Industrial Fish Tasmania Pty Ltd (Receivers and Managers Appointed) [1993] 49 IR 416 Burut v The Public Prosecutor [1995] 2 AC 579 Mohd. Ali Bin Burut and others and Public Prosecutor [1995] 2 AC 579 R v Spencer [1987] 1 AC 128 Hollington and F Hewthorn & Co Ltd KB 1943 587 Gonzales and Claridades [2003] NSWSC 508 Wheeler v Philip Morris Ltd (1989) 97 ALR 282, Ross v GN Comtext (Australia) Pty Limited [2000] NSWIRComm 133. Browne v Dunn (1894) 6 R 67 HEARING DATES: 06/23/2003; 06/24/2003; 06/25/2003; 06/26/2003; 06/27/2003; 07/28/2003; 07/29/2003; 07/30/2003; 07/31/2003; 08/18/2003; 08/19/2003; 08/26/2003; 11/24/2003; 12/02/2003 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 06/01/2004