Inspector Bestre v T & Y Pty Ltd [2005] NSWIRComm 392

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION: Inspector Bestre v T & Y Pty Ltd [2005] NSWIRComm 392

APPELLANT Inspector Sara Bestre PARTIES: RESPONDENT T & Y Pty Ltd

FILE NUMBER(S): IRC 3533 of 2005

CORAM: Wright J President; Walton J Vice-President; Boland J

CATCHWORDS: Appeal - Occupational Health & Safety - Prosecution appeal from decision of Chief Industrial Magistrate - leave to appeal - guilty pleas - sentences manifestly inadequate by reference to scale of penalties - based on identifiable errors - misapplied principle of parity - misapplied principle of totality - failed to take into account specific deterrence - importance of general deterrence for s 94 offence - leave to appeal granted - appeal upheld - fresh penalties imposed - no order as to costs.

Industrial Relations Act s 197 LEGISLATION CITED: Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 ss 8(2) 26(1) 94

Beacham v Interface Manufacturing Pty Ltd and Another (2005) 141 IR 416 Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683 Capral Aluminium Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (2000) 49 NSWLR 610 Department of Mineral Resources (NSW) v Kembla Coal and Coke Pty Ltd (1999) 92 IR 8 Glass v Flexible Packaging (Australia) Pty Limited (2005) 144 IR 385 CASES CITED: House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499 Inspector Stephen Campbell v James Gordon Hitchcock [2005] NSWIRComm 34 Lawrenson Diecasting Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ch'ng) (1999) 90 IR 464 Nesmat Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority (NSW) (1998) 87 IR 312 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Buggy) v Weathertex Pty Limited (2003) 127 IR 60 WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector Victor Page) v Walco Hoist Rentals Pty Limited (No 2) (2000) 99 IR 163