MITCHFORCE v INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS COMMISSION & ORS [2003] NSWCA 151

Reported Decision : 57 NSWLR 212

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : MITCHFORCE v INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS COMMISSION & ORS [2003] NSWCA 151 HEARING DATE(S) : 16 December 2002 JUDGMENT DATE : 13 June 2003

JUDGMENT OF : Spigelman CJ at 1; Mason P at 135; Handley JA at 152 DECISION : (1) Orders 11 and 12 made by Hungerford J on 14 November 2000 quashed. (2) That the balance of the summons be stood over for further argument in light of the majority reasons in this Court and the further steps (if any) taken in the Commission.

CATCHWORDS : CONSTITUTIONAL LAW (C'WLTH) - validity of privative clause - indirect effect on appellate jurisdiction of High Court - INDUSTRIAL ARBITRATION (NSW) - contract whereby work performed in industry - JUDICIAL REVIEW - privative clause - Hickman principles - UNFAIR CONTRACTS - contracts whereby work is performed in industry Contracts Review Act 1980 Industrial Arbitration Act 1940 LEGISLATION CITED : Industrial Relations Act 1991 Industrial Relations Act 1996 Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 Australian Communist Party v The Commonwealth (1951) 83 CLR 1 Australian Institute of Music Ltd v L M Investment Management Ltd [2000] NSWIRComm 201 H A Bachrach Pty Limited v Queensland (1998) 195 CLR 547 Baxter v New South Wales Clickers' Association (1909) 10 CLR 114 Black-Clawson International Ltd v Papierwerke Waldhof-Aschaffenburg AG [1975] AC 591 Booth v Kritikos Developments Pty Limited (1995) 59 IR 298 BP Refinery (Westernport) Pty Limited v President, Councillors and Ratepayers of the Shire of Hastings (1977) 180 CLR 266 Brandy v Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (1995) 183 CLR 245 Brown v Rezitis (1970) 127 CLR 157 Byrnes v The Queen (1999) 199 CLR 1 Caltex Oil (Australia) Pty Ltd v Feenan [1981] 1 NSWLR 169 Carson v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd (1991) 173 CLR 194 Clancy v Butchers' Shop Employees' Union (1904) 1 CLR 181 Coal Miners' Industrial Union of Workers of Western Australia v Amalgamated Collieries of Western Australia Limited (1960) 104 CLR 437 Cockle v Isaksen (1957) 99 CLR 155 Commonwealth v Hospital Contributions Fund (1982) 150 CLR 49 Commonwealth v Kreglinger & Fernau Ltd (1926) 37 CLR 393 Caltex Oil (Australia) Pty Ltd v Feenan [1981] 1 NSWLR 169 Clancy v Butchers Shop Employees' Union (1904) 1 CLR 181 Colonial Bank of Australia v Willan (1874) LR 5 PC 417 Commonwealth v Kreglinger & Fernau Ltd (1926) 37 CLR 393 Cooper Brookes (Wollongong) Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (Cth) (1981) 147 CLR 297 Craig v South Australia (1995) 184 CLR 163 Darling Casino Limited v New South Wales Casino Control Authority (1997) 191 CLR 602 Davies v General Transport Development Pty Ltd [1967] AR 371 Deputy Commissioner of Taxation v Richard Walter Pty Ltd (1995) 183 CLR 168 Dudgeon v Chie (1955) 92 CLR 342 Ex parte V G Haulage Services Pty Ltd; Re The Farrell v Alexander [1977] AC 59 Ex Parte VG Haulage Services Pty Limited; Re The Industrial Commission of NSW [1972] 2 NSWLR 81 Ex parte Professional Engineers' Association (1959) 107 CLR 208 Farrell v Alexander [1977] AC 59 Federal Commissioner of Taxation v Munro (1926) 38 CLR 153 Gosper v Sawyer (1985) 160 CLR 548 Gould v Brown (1998) 193 CLR 346 Harris v Caladine (1991) 172 CLR 84 Harris v Hammon (No 2) (1995) 59 IR 232 Holmes v Angwin (1906) 4 CLR 297 Houssein v The Under Secretary Department of Industrial Relations and Technology (1982) 148 CLR 88 Jackson v Sterling Industries Ltd (1987) 162 CLR 612 Jennings v Auto Plaza Limited (1993) 46 IR 413 Kable v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) (1996) 189 CLR 51 CASES CITED : Kostakis v New World Oil & Developments Pty Limited [1997] NSWIRComm 84 (25/7/97) Kotsis v Kotsis (1971) 122 CLR 69 L & W Developments Pty Ltd v Della [2003] NSWCA 140 Majik Markets Pty Ltd v Brake and Service Centre Drummoyne Pty Ltd (1992) 28 NSWLR 443 Maunsell v Olins [1975] AC 373 National Carriers Ltd v Panalpina (Northern) Ltd [1981] AC 675 O'Toole v Charles David Pty Ltd (1991) 171 CLR 232 Parisienne Basket Shoes Pty Ltd v Whyte (1938) 59 CLR 369 Parkin & Cowper v James (1905) 2 CLR 315 Parsons v Martin (1985) 5 FCR 235 Plaintiff S157/2002 v The Commonwealth (2003) 77 ALJR 454 Plaintiff S157/2002 v Commonwealth of Australia [2003] HCA 2, 195 ALR 24 Production Spray Painting & Panel Beating Pty Ltd v Newnham (1991) 27 NSWLR 644 Progressive Mailing House Pty Limited v Tabali Pty Limited (1985) 157 CLR 17 Re an application by Public Service Association of NSW (1947) 75 CLR 430 Reich v Client Server Professionals of Australia Pty Ltd (2000) 49 NSWLR 551 Ridge v Baldwin [1964] AC 40 R v Arundel JJ ex parte Jackson [1959] 2 QB 89 R v Central Reference Board; Ex parte Thiess (Repairs) Pty Ltd (1948) 77 CLR 123 R v Coldham; Ex parte Australian Workers' Union (1983) 153 CLR 415 R v Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Commission; Ex parte Amalgamated Engineering Union (Australian Section) (1967) 118 CLR 219 R v Commonwealth Rent Controller; Ex parte National Mutual Life Association of Australasia Ltd (1947) 75 CLR 361 R v Forbes ex parte Bevan (1972) 127 CLR 1 R v Gee (2003) 196 ALR 282 R v Hickman; Ex parte Fox and Clinton (1945) 70 CLR 598 R v Metal Trades Employers' Association; Ex parte Amalgamated Engineering Union, Australian Section (1951) 82 CLR 208 R v Moore ex parte Graham (1977) 138 CLR 164 R v Murray; Ex parte Proctor (1949) 77 CLR 387 R v Nat Bell Liquors Ltd [1922] 2 AC 128 R v Young (1999) 46 NSWLR 681 Solomons v District Court of New South Wales (2002) 76 ALJR 1601 Stevenson v Barham (1977) 136 CLR 190 Stewart v R (1921) 29 CLR 234 Svecova v Industrial Commission of New South Wales (unrep, NSW CA 5/9/91) Tana v Baxter (1986) 160 CLR 572 Tszyu v Fightvision Pty Ltd (2001) 104 IR 225 CA, 238 Vanmeld Pty Ltd v Fairfield City Council (1999) 46 NSWLR 78 Victorian Stevedoring & General Contracting Co Pty Ltd v Dignan (1931) 46 CLR 73 Walker v Industrial Court of NSW (1994) 53 IR 121 Wardley Australia v Western Australia (1992) 175 CLR 514 Wishart v Fraser (1941) 64 CLR 470 Woolworths Ltd v Hawke (1998) 45 NSWLR 13 Zarb v Kennedy (1967) 121 CLR 283 MITCHFORCE PTY LTD v INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS COMMISSION OF NEW SOUTH WALES, PARTIES : KEITH ABNER SIDNEY STARKEY DAWN NELL STARKEY ATTORNEY GENERAL (NSW) INTERVENOR FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40440/02 Claimant Mitchforce: D E Grieve QC/J M Miller COUNSEL : Opponent Starkey: D F Jackson QC/A B Gotting Opponent Attorney General (NSW): M G Sexton SC/N Sharp Claimant Mitchforce: Ian Player Clark by Sydney Agents The Law Partnership Opponent Starkey: Abbott Tout Opponent Attorney General (NSW): I V Knight SOLICITORS : Crown Solicitor