Prior and South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Area Health Service [2006] NSWIRComm 1117

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales

CITATION: Prior and South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Area Health Service [2006] NSWIRComm 1117

APPLICANT Colin Prior PARTIES: RESPONDENT South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Area Health Service

FILE NUMBER(S): 79 of 2006

CORAM: Murphy C

Applicant dismissal for misconduct in alleged assault upon dementia resident of Garrawarra Centre, claimed to be witnessed by four staff at different stages of assault.

Onus on employer to prove misconduct, with a high standard of proof necessary. CATCHWORDS: Impossible to reconcile applicant's simple version of altercation with resident, with believable accounts given by witnesses.

Onus discharged and assault found serious enough to justify dismissal despite 6 years of unblemished employment with respondent organisation

LEGISLATION CITED: Industrial Relations Act 1996

Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Pastrycooks Employees, Biscuit Makers Employees & Flour and Sugar Goods Workers Union (NSW) v Gartrell White (No 3) (1990) 35 IR 71 Neat Holdings Pty Ltd v Karajan Holdings Pty Ltd and others (1992) 110 ALR 449 Franklins Limited v Webb (1996) 72 IR 257 Gooley v Westpac Banking Corporation 59 IRC 262 Standley v Electronics Boutique Australia Pty Ltd IRC 4516 of 1998 High Court in Byrne & Anor v Australian Airlines (1995) 185 CLR 410 at 465 CASES CITED: Staal and others v WSAHS Parker v Capitol Painters & Decorators Pty Ltd (1996) 68 IR 100 at 104 Holingsworth v Commissioner of Police 88 IR 282 Humphries v Cootamundra Ex-Services and Citizens Memorial Club Limited [2003] NSWIRComm 211 (29 July 2003) Antonakopoulos v State Bank of NSW (1999) 92 IR 385 at 389 Perkins v Grace Worldwide (Aust.) Pty Ltd (1997) 72 IR 186 Wang v Crestell Ind. Ltd (1997) 73 IR 454 Perks & Petroski v Dept. of Juvenile Justice [2005 NSW IR Comm 448]