West v Director-General, NSW Ministry of Health in respect of Western Sydney Local Health District [2014] NSWIRComm 1001

Industrial Relations Commission New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: West v Director-General, NSW Ministry of Health in respect of Western Sydney Local Health District [2014] NSWIRComm 1001 Hearing dates: 6 December 2013 Decision date: 10 January 2014 Jurisdiction: Industrial Relations Commission Before: Newall C Decision: Motion upheld. Appeal dismissed. Catchwords: Public sector disciplinary appeal - application for summary dismissal of appeal - asserted exclusion of appellant by effect of s.92(1)(b) of the Industrial Relations Act 1996 - principles of statutory interpretation - industrial instrument - literal meaning of statute - circumstances in which statute can be construed to be ineffective - obligation to give effect to statute where possible - preferred interpretation of subs.92(1)(b) - appeal excluded by s.92(1)(b) - motion upheld - appeal dismissed Legislation Cited: Government and Related Employees Appeal Tribunal Act 1980 Health Services Act 1997 s.116A Industrial Relations Act 1996 s.8, s.91, s.92, subs.92(1)(b), s.98 Interpretation Act 1987 s.33 Cases Cited: Annetts v McCann (1990) 170 CLR 596 Australian Postal Corporation v Sinnaiah (2013) 213 FCR 449 Bull v Attorney-General (NSW) (1913) 17 CLR 370 Certain Lloyd's Underwriters and Underwriters Subscribing to contract No IHOOAAQS v Cross (2012) 293 ALR 412 Director-General of the Department of Corrective Services v Mitchelson (1992) 26 NSWLR 648 at 654 Director-General of Education v Suttling (1986) 162 CLR 427 Goundar v Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs (1994) 54 FCR 300 Momcilovic v The Queen (2011) 245 CLR 1 Newcastle City Council v GIO General Ltd (1997) 191 CLR 85 Project Blue Sky v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355 R v Young [1999] 46 NSWLR 681 Rail Corporation of NSW v Brown [2012] NSWCA 296 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Mr Robert West - Applicant Director-General, NSW Ministry of Health - Respondent Representation: Mr D Chin (Applicant) Mr M Kimber SC, Mr O Fagir (Respondent) Petrine Costigan Lawyers - Applicant Messrs Maddocks - Respondent File Number(s): IRC 151 of 2013