Brent v Bastian [2003] NSWIRComm 65

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : Brent v Bastian [2003] NSWIRComm 65 FIRST APPELLANT/FIRST CROSS RESPONDENT Noel Brent & Ors practising under the business name PricewaterhouseCoopers

SECOND APPELLANT/SECOND CROSS RESPONDENT PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory Pty Ltd PARTIES : THIRD APPELLANT/THIRD CROSS RESPONDENT PricewaterhouseCoopers Administration Pty Ltd

RESPONDENT/CROSS APPELLANT John Bastian FILE NUMBER: IRC 8583 of 2001 CORAM: Wright J President; Walton J Vice-President; Boland J Appeal - Cross Appeal - Unfair Contract - Identity of employer - Connection with New South Wales - Whether there was unfairness - Whether appropriate to calculate money orders under s 106(5) of the Industrial Relations Act on the basis of a remuneration package applicable to a foreign posting - Notice and redundancy - Mitigation - Reliance on s 106(6) - Whether conversion of foreign currency to Australian currency should be done at date of judgment or date of termination - Approbate and reprobate - Leave to appeal and cross appeal granted - Appeal upheld in part - Cross appeal dismissed CATCHWORDS : Unfair Contract - Identity of employer - Connection with New South Wales - Whether there was unfairness - Whether appropriate to calculate money orders under s 106(5) of the Industrial Relations Act on the basis of a remuneration package applicable to a foreign posting - Notice and redundancy - Mitigation - Reliance on s 106(6) - Whether conversion of foreign currency to Australian currency should be done at date of judgment or date of termination - Approbate and reprobate - Leave to appeal and cross appeal granted - Appeal upheld in part - Cross appeal dismissed LEGISLATION CITED : Industrial Relations Act 1996 s106 s 106(6) s188(1) Industrial Relations Amendment (Unfair Contracts) Act 2002 Davies v General Transport Development Pty Ltd (1967) AR (NSW) 371 Day v Lumley Life Ltd (1999) 90 IR 70 John Bastian v Noel Ashley Brent & Ors practising under the business name PricewaterhouseCoopers & Ors [2001] NSWIRComm 316 Electricity Commission of New South Wales v Clissold [1981] 1 NSWLR 284 Knowles v Anglican Property Church Trust (No 2) (1999) 95 IR 380 New South Wales v Health and Research Employees Association of New South Wales (unreported, Fisher CJ, Bauer and Hill JJ, 31 March 1993) Perrott v Xcellenet Australia Limited (1998) 84 IR 255 CASES CITED : Pullen v R & C Products Pty Ltd (1994) 60 IR 183 Reich v Client Server Professionals of Aust Pty Ltd ( Administrator appointed) (2000) 49 NSWLR 551 (2000) 99 IR 69 Renard Constructions (ME) Pty Ltd v Minister for Public Works (1992) 26 NSWLR 234 Ross v GN Comtext (Aust) Pty Ltd (2000) 107 IR 1 Rothmans Distribution Services Ltd v Full Court of Industrial Court of New South Wales (1994) 53 IR 157 Thompson v His Honour Judge Byrne (1999) 196 CLR 141 Westfield Holdings v Adams (2002) 114 IR 241 Zickar v MGH Plastic Industries Pty Ltd (1996) 187 CLR 310 HEARING DATES: 08/22/2002; 08/23/2002 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 04/10/2003