Simmons and Rockdale City Council [2006] NSWIRComm 1010

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales

CITATION: Simmons and Rockdale City Council [2006] NSWIRComm 1010

PARTIES: APPLICANT: Michael Simmons RESPONDENT: Rockdale City Council

FILE NUMBER(S): 1074 of 2005

CORAM: Bishop C

Termination of employment - summary dismissal council officer - failure to disclose pecuniary/discretionary interests on annual basis - unblemished record of 13 years service - senior & supervisory position - investigation by Council - whether misconduct - resignation initially proposed - summary dismissal - procedural issues raised - reinstatement sought CATCHWORDS: Held, respondents evidence preferred - serious misconduct occurred - failure to complete annual returns accurately - deliberate - no possibility to re-instate - overall procedures fair but concerns about certain aspects - termination not harsh or unjust but unreasonable on procedural concerns - monetary compensation appropriate - orders made

LEGISLATION CITED: Industrial Relations Act 1996 Local Government Act

Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 D&R Commercial Pty Ltd v Flood (2002) 113 IR 344 Antonakopoulos v State Bank (1999) 91 IR 385 Bankstown City Council v Paris (unreported) IRC262 of 1999 Bigg & Anor v New South Wales Police Service (1998) 80 IR 434 Burke v McGirr (1998) 87 IR 54 Busways v Johnson (1994) 55 IR 255 Byrne & Anor v Australian Airlines (1995) 61 IR 32 Franklins Ltd v Webb (1996) 72 IR 257 Hill v Department of Juvenile Justice [3000] NSWIRComm 128 Humphries v Cootamundra Ex-Services and Citizens Memorial Club Limited [2003] NSWIRComm 211 Outboard World v Muir (Cahill VP, Peterson J and Tabbaa C) (1993) 51 IR 167 at 182 Perkins v Grace Worldwide (Aust) Pty Ltd (1997) 72 IR 186 Rapp v Wauchope RSL Club (1998) 81 IR 116 Sams v Contact Point International Pty Ltd (2001) NSWIRComm 18 Wang v Crestell Industries Pty Ltd (1997) 73 IR 454 CASES CITED: Parker v Capitol Painters & Decorators Pty Ltd (1996) 68 IR 100 Jones v Dunkell (1959) 101 CLR 298 Western Suburbs District Ambulance Committee v Tipping (1957) AR NSW 273 Shop Distributive & Allied Employees' Association NSW Branch v Jewel Food Stores (1987) 22 IR 1 Hollingsworth v Commissioner of Police (No 2) (1999) 88 IR 282 New South Wales Fire Brigade Employees' Union (on behalf of Natoli) v New South Wales Fire Brigades NSWIRComm 440 Robert Lawrence v Attorney Generals Department [2004] NSWIRComm North v Television Corporation Ltd Concut Pty Ltd v Worrell and Anor (2000) 103 IR 160 Day v Lumley Life Limited (1999) 90 IR 70 Electricity Commission of New South Wales t/as Pacific Power v Crump (1993) 48 IR 296 Hunt v Hornsby Shire Council [2001] NSWIRComm 242 Pastrycooks Employees, Biscuit Makers Employees & Flour and Sugar Goods Workers Union (NSW) v Gartrell White (No 3) (1990) 35 IR 70 Transport Workers Union of Australia, New South Wales Branch, on behalf of Joseph Vallis and TNT Australia Pty Ltd t/as TNT Express [2002] NSWIRComm 46 Wells v Commissioner of Police (2000) 100 IR 106 Juleff v Linfox (unreported) Bishop C IRC4293/05 17 June 2005 Loty and Holloway v Australian Workers' Union (1977) 71 AR 95