Inspector Belley v Freight Rail Corporation [2002] NSWIRComm 281

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : Inspector Belley v Freight Rail Corporation [2002] NSWIRComm 281 PROSECUTOR: WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Gabrielle Belley) PARTIES : DEFENDANT: Freight Rail Corporation FILE NUMBER: IRC 5176 and 5178 of 2000 CORAM: Haylen J Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 - s 15(1) - prosecution against statutory corporation - sale of defendant corporation under special legislation - whether criminal liability of defendant corporation transferred to purchaser - effect of privatisation legislation - civil liability only transferred to private purchaser.

Statutes - interpretation - presumption that provisions re-enacted after being passed upon by a court have the same meaning - limitations on the presumption - circumstances where presumption may be applied - special nature of legislation considered - presumption applied. CATCHWORDS : Words and phrases - meaning of "liability" and "liabilities" - words used in context of "assets", rights and liabilities" and "all liabilities, debts and obligations (whether present or future or whether vested or contingent") - whether "liability" and "liabilities" extends to criminal liability - in context words held to extend only to civil liability.

Freight Rail Corporation (Sale Act 2001 (NSW) s 3 s 5 s 9 s 12 s 15: Schedule 1 cl 2 cl 3 cl 5 Industrial Relations Act s 154 LEGISLATION CITED : Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 s 6 s 15(1) s 17(1)(a) Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 s 123 State Owned Corporations Act 1989 (NSW)) Transport Administration Act 1988 (NSW) s 19G Alcan Australia Ltd, ex parte Federation of Industrial Manufacturing Engineering Employees (1994) 123 ALR 193 at 200 and [1994] 68 ALJR 626 at 631 Barras v Aberdeen Steam Trawling and Fishing Co [1933] AC 402 at 446, per Lord Mcmillan Byrne v Garrison (1965) VR 523 at 528 Centro Latino Americano de Commercio Exterior SA v Owners of the Ship "Kommunar" [1997] 1 Lloyd's Rep 8 D'Emden v Pedder (1904) 1 CLR 91 at 110, Fowler v Taylor [1957] VR 593 at 595 Flaherty v Girgic (1986-87) 162 CLR at 594 Knecevic v Markovic (1985) 5 FCR 219 MGH Plastic Industries Pty Ltd v Zickar (1994) 34 NSWLR 617 at 621F Pillar v Arthur [1912) 15 CLR 18 at 22, 25, 29-30, Platz v Osborne (1943) 68 CLR at 141, 146, 146-7 CASES CITED : Project BlueSky v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355 at 381 ff Public Service Association of New South Wales v Industrial Commission of New South Wales (1985) 1 NSWLR 627 Salvation Army (Victoria) Property Trust v Fern Tree Gully Corporation (1951-52) 85 CLR at 174 Queen v Reynhoudt (1962) 107 CLR 381 State Rail (NSW) v WorkCover Authority (2000) 102 IR 218 at 231ff The Herron II, Koufas v Czarnikow Ltd [1967] 3 All E R 686 at 694 Winter v The Inland Revenue Commission [1961] 3 All ER 855 at 858 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Belley) v Rail Infrastructure Corporation (2001) 111 IR 442 WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector Gilbert) v Energy Australia (formerly Sydney Electricity) (1998) 85 IR 99 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales v Rail Infrastructure Corporation (2001) 111 IR 42 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales v The Sydney Market Authority (1997) 82 IR 134