Stephen Finlay McMartin v Newcastle Wallsend Coal Company Pty Limited; Oakbridge Pty Limited; Richard Porteous; Phillip Pritchard; Michael Alston; Mark Robinson; Jonathan Romcke; Michael Coffey; Christopher Nicholls and Terence Shacklady [2003] NSWIRComm 219

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : Stephen Finlay McMartin v Newcastle Wallsend Coal Company Pty Limited; Oakbridge Pty Limited; Richard Porteous; Phillip Pritchard; Michael Alston; Mark Robinson; Jonathan Romcke; Michael Coffey; Christopher Nicholls and Terence Shacklady [2003] NSWIRComm 219 PROSECUTOR: Stephen Finlay McMartin DEFENDANTS: PARTIES : Newcastle Wallsend Coal Company Pty Limited; Oakbridge Pty Limited; Richard Porteous; Phillip Pritchard; Michael Alston; Mark Robinson; Jonathan Romcke; Michael Coffey; Christopher Nicholls and Terence Shacklady.

FILE NUMBER: IRC 3199; 3200; 3202; 3203; 3208; 3209; 3211; 3212; 3214; 3215; 3220; 3221; 3222; 3223; 3225; 3226; 3227; 3229; 3230; 3231; 3233; 3234; 3235; 3237; 3238; 3239; 3241; 3242; 3243; 3245; 3246; 3247 and 3249 of 2000 CORAM: Staunton J CATCHWORDS : Occupational health and safety - proposal by prosecution to vary summonses - whether that proposal created fresh charges and were statute barred - whether identity of person exposed to potential risk is an essential legal element of offences under s15(1) and s16(1) of the Act - provisions of s16(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act replacing s6 of the Supreme Court (Summary Jurisdiction) Act 1967 applying - essential legal elements of s15(1) and s16(1) offences go to a failure of employers system of work affecting all employees - identity of persons exposed to potential risk an essential factual ingredient of s15(1) and s16(1) offences - no new charges created - variation allowed. Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 LEGISLATION CITED : Supreme Court (Summary Jurisdiction) Act 1967 Industrial Relations Act 1996 Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (as amended by the Criminal Procedure Amendment (Justices and Local Courts) Act 2001) Mainbrace Constructions Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Charles) (2001) 102 IR 84 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Maltby) & anor v Abigroup Contractors Pty Ltd & Luis Bustamante (2003) NSWIR Comm 35 R v Saffron (1988) 17 NSWLR 395 at 446 R v Hush ex parte Devanny (1932) 48 CLR 487 CASES CITED : Ex parte Lovell, Re Buckley (1938) 38 SR 153 John L Pty Ltd v AG (NSW) 1987 163 CLR 508 Cooper v Coffs Harbour City Council (1997) 98 A Crim R 340 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Patton) v Fletcher Constructions Australia Ltd (2002) NSWIR Comm 316 Taylor v Environment Protection Authority (2000) 50 NSWLR 48