O'Brien v Australian Native Landscapes Pty Ltd [2001] NSWIRComm 145

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : O'Brien v Australian Native Landscapes Pty Ltd [2001] NSWIRComm 145 APPLICANT Edward Joseph O'Brien

FIRST RESPONDENT Australian Native Landscapes Pty Limited PARTIES : SECOND RESPONDENT Patrick Noel Soars

THIRD RESPONDENT Sharon Atkinson (Soars) FILE NUMBER: IRC 3592 of 1998 CORAM: Hungerford J CATCHWORDS : Unfair contract - Contract of employment - Collateral arrangement as to superannuation - Claim to declare contract and arrangement void or varied - Claim for order for payment of money - Amendment sought to add to liability of a respondent for any monetary order - Whether amendment in the interests of justice - Prejudice to the respondent concerned - Delay by applicant in bringing the action - Lack of documentation - Difficulties thereby caused - Proper approach to follow - Contract avoided provisions of an industrial award - Whether employee or independent contractor - Underpayment of wages, annual leave and long service leave - Failure to pay agreed superannuation contributions - Representations as to availability of future work - Termination of employment - Redundancy - Proper level of severance/redundancy payments - Whether contract and arrangement unfair - Contract and arrangement declared void from commencement - Order for payment of money - Proper approach to award of interest - Costs. Annual Holidays Act 1944 Evidence Act 1995 s 128 Industrial Arbitration Act 1940 (repealed) s 88F LEGISLATION CITED : Industrial Relations Act 1991 (repealed) s 275 Industrial Relations Act 1996 s 105 s 106 s 109 s 170 Pt 9 Ch 2 Limitation Act 1969 s 14 Supreme Court Act 1970 s 94 Supreme Court Rules 1970 Sch J Abboud v State of New South Wales (Department of School Education) (No 2) (2000) 99 IR 299 Ace Business Brokers Pty Ltd v Phillips-Treby (2000) 100 IR 420 Aitken v Construction, Mining, Energy, Timberyards, Sawmills and Woodworkers Union of Australia - Western Australia Branch (1995) 63 IR 1 Australian Nursing Federation, Re [1989] 31 IR 375 Clerks (State) Award, Re [1976] AR (NSW) 417 Clough and Rogers v Frog (1974) 48 ALJR 481, (1974) 4 ALR 615 Cropper v Smith (1884) 26 Ch D 700 Frost v Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales (2000) 97 IR 461 Gala v State Bank of New South Wales t/as Colonial State Bank (No 2) (1998) 84 IR 216 Government Cleaning Service (Privatisation) Award (No 3), Re (1994) 55 IR 199, (1995) 59 IR 348 Horton v Jones (No 2) [1939] 39 SR (NSW) 305 Houghton v Immer (No 155) Pty Ltd (1997) 44 NSWLR 46 CASES CITED : Howe v Teefy [1927] 27 SR (NSW) 301 Hurley v Art Printing Co Pty Ltd (Under Administration) (1994) 54 IR 254 Huskisson RSL Sub-Branch Club Ltd v Sullivan (1990) 20 NSWLR 332, [1990] 32 IR 404 Irvine v Shell Company of Australia Ltd [1969] AR (NSW) 187 Pitcher v Langford (1991) 23 NSWLR 142 Port Macquarie Golf Club Ltd v Stead (1996) 64 IR 53 Queensland v J L Holdings Pty Ltd (1997) 189 CLR 146 R v Industrial Commission of South Australia, Ex parte Adelaide Milk Supply Co-operative Ltd (1977) 16 SASR 6, [1977] 44 SAIR 1202 Saliba v John Hearder Pty Ltd [1986] 15 IR 36 Smith v Craig Mostyn & Co Pty Ltd [1984] 2 NSWLR 393, [1984] AR (NSW) 565, [1984] 8 IR 344 Stevens v Brodribb Sawmilling Co Pty Ltd (1986) 160 CLR 16 Swift Placements Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector May) (2000) 96 IR 69 Termination, Change and Redundancy Case [1984] 8 IR 34 Walker v Hussmann Australia Pty Ltd [1992] 44 IR 404 HEARING DATES: 11/20/2000; 11/21/2000; 11/22/2000; 12/08/2000; 03/15/2001; 04/17/2001 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 06/27/2001