Casari v Sydney South West Area Health Service [2009] NSWIRComm 103

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales

CITATION: Casari v Sydney South West Area Health Service [2009] NSWIRComm 103

APPELLANT: Carlos Casari PARTIES: RESPONDENT: Sydney South West Area Health Service

FILE NUMBER(S): IRC 2428 of 2008

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

CATCHWORDS: APPEAL - Unfair dismissal - Summary dismissal for serious and wilful misconduct – Photograph taken of naked two year old child patient in hospital – No claim that photograph taken for improper purpose – Whether trial judge erred in finding dismissal was not harsh unreasonable or unjust – Contemporary law relating to summary dismissal – Common law duty of fidelity and good faith – Whether taking of photograph struck at the heart of the employment contract or was so repugnant to appellant's relationship with the respondent that it warranted summary dismissal – Reinstatement the primary remedy – Trust and confidence – Re-employment ordered subject to immediate resignation.

LEGISLATION CITED: Industrial Relations Act 1996 Summary Offences Act 1988

Beahan v Bush Boake Allen Australia Ltd (1999) 47 NSWLR 648; 93 IR 1 Blyth Chemicals v Bushnell [1933] HCA 8; (1933) 49 CLR 66 Bruce v AWB Ltd [2000] FCA 594; (2000) 100 IR 129 Budlong v NCR Australia Pty Limited [2006] NSWIRComm 288 Burge v NSW BHP Steel Pty Ltd [2001] NSWIRComm 117; (2001) 105 IR 325 Byrne v Australian Airlines Limited (1995) 131 ALR 422 Casari v Sydney South West Area Health Service (No 2) [2008] NSWIRComm 240 Desmond Henry Randall v Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ACN 002 818 368) [2004] NSWSC 411 Hollingsworth v Commissioner of Police (No 2) (1999) 88 IR 282 Hotson v Fitzgerald [1985] 1 WLR 1036 Humphries v Cootamundra Ex-Services and Citizens Memorial Club Limited [2003] NSWIRComm 211; (2003) 128 IR 37 In re Barrett and Women's Hospital, Crown Street [1947] AR 565 Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital v Koziol (19770 77 DLR (3d) 161 Kondis v State Transport Authority (1984) 154 CLR 672 CASES CITED: Lane v Arrowcrest Group Pty Ltd (1990) 99 ALR 45 Lane and Northern Sydney Central Coast Area Health Service [2006] NSWIRComm 380 Laws v London Chronicle (Indicator Newspapers) Ltd [1959] 2 All ER 285 Little v Commissioner of Police (No 2) [2002] NSWIRComm 52; (2002) 112 IR 212 NSW Public Service Professional Officers Association v Forestry Commission (NSW) [1990] 39 IR 46 Pepper v Webb [1969] 1 WLR 514 Perkins v Grace Worldwide (Aust) Pty Limited (1997) 72 IR 186 Plummer v Stannard Bros Launch Service [2005] NSWIRComm 301; (2005) 145 IR 111 Rankin v Marine Power International Pty Ltd [2001] VSC 150; (2001) 107 IR 117 Riley v Workcover Authority [2006] NSWIRComm 108 Robb v Green [1895] 2 QB 315 Roe v Minister of Health [1954] 2 QB 66 Rogers v Whitaker (1992) 175 CLR 479; 109 ALR 625 Sidaway v Governors of the Bethlem Royal Hospital [1985] AC 871; 1 All ER 643 Sullivan v Moody (2001) 207 CLR 562 Thomsen v Davison [1975] Qd R 93