Garry Ernest Sherrift v Leonarp Cecil Townsend

[1980] FCA 25

’ .

I N THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA)

) V.No. I 2 of I 9 7 9

VICTORIA DISTRICT REGISTRY

)	V.No.	I 7 of	I 9 7 9
)

INDUSTRIAL DIVISION

AND

I N THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA)

1

1 No. 2 6 of I 9 7 9

NEW SOUTH WALES REGISTRY

)

) No. 31 of I 9 7 9

INDUSTRIAL	DIVISION
BETWEEN :

GARRY ERNEST SHERRIFF & OTHERS C l a l m a n t s

and

LEONARD C E C I L TOWNSEND & OTHERS 3espondents

JUDGES CONSTITUTING COURT: S m l t h e r s , E v a t t and Northrop JJ.

DATE OF ORDER: I 3 March I 9 8 0

W E R E MADE: Melbourne

ORDERS DECLARATIONS AND DIRECTIONS :

I. I n Matter V.No .12 of I 9 7 9 -

A.	THAT	the rules	of	t h e V e h l c l e	B u l l d e r s	E m p l o y e e s
- -

Federation of A u s t r a l i a contravene s . I 4 O ( I ) of

t h e C o n c i l l a t i o n and A r b i t r a t l o n A c t I 9 0 4 as

amended i n t h a t they f a l l t o m a k e a provls lon

requlred by the A c t and the r e g u l a t i o n s made

under t h e A c t namely t h e y f a i l t o provlde f o r

a Federal c o m m l t t e e of m a n a g e m e n t .

. . / 2 . .

- 2 -

- B. - THAT t h e r e s p o n d e n t s L.C. Townsend, J . R . S a n d i l a n d s ,

C.E. Jarrad, J . E . Buck, W . J . Allamby, D . J . Foreman,

J . D . Benne t t , P.W. Meehan, G . J . Burge, A. McDonald,

. J .S . Thompson, J. O ' N e i l l , W . Taylor and C. Aus t in

and each of them t rea t as n u l l and void and of no

e f f e c t t h e p u r p o r t e d e lect ion of D. Foreman, C. Burge,

C. J a r r a d a n d W. Allamby a t t h e m e e t l n g o f t h e

F e d e r a l Counci l of the Vehlc le Bul lders Employees

F e d e r a t i o n of A u s t r a l l a he ld be tween I 9 and 2 2

March I979 t o t h e o f f l ce of P r e s i d e n t , V l c e - P r e s l d e n t ,

T rus t ee and Trustee r e s p e c t l v e l y .

- C. THAT t h e r e s p o n d e n t s L.C. Townsend, J . R . S a n d l l a n d s ,

C.E. J a r r a d , J . E . Buck, W. J . Allamby, D. J. Foreman,

J . D . B e n n e t t , P.W. Meehan, G . J . Burge, A. McDonald,

J .S . Thompson, J. O ' N e l l l , W. Taylor and C. Aus t ln

and each of them t r e a t as n u l l a n d v o l d a n d of no

e f fec t t h e fo l lowing r e s o l u t l o n s a d o p t e d a t t h e

meetlng of t h e F e d e r a l C o u n c l l of t h e Vehlcle

Bul lders Employees Federa t lon of A u s t r a l l a h e l d

between I 9 and 22 March 1 9 7 9 ; namely

PAGE OF MINUTES	-	ITEM
Request for o f f i c i a l l y c o n d u c t e d
b a l l o t
D e c l a r a t l o n o f b a l l o t
Appolntment of Commlttee of Enqulry i n t o a l l e g a t l o n s c o n c e r n l n g t h e
Geelong sub-branch of t h e V l c t o r l a n
branch of t h e F e d e r a t l o n
7A and	D l r e c t l o n t o F e d e r a l S e c r e t a r y t o

following pages t a k e a c t i o n a g a l n s t t h e members o f

the commit tee of management of the

Geelong sub-branch

I 2 Increase I n sa lar les of Federal

S e c r e t a r y a n d F e d e r a l - A s s l s t a n t

S e c r e t a r y

I 4 Adoptlon of a new Rule 28C

. . / 3 . .

- 3 -

PAGES O F MINUTES	-	ITEM
I 5	Adoption of a new Rule 2 9

. I 7 Adoptlon of a new Rule 6B

I 8	Appolntment of Act lng Federal Organizers
I 9	Amendment of R u l e 31
2 7	Amendment of R u l e 37
29	Adoption of new Rule I2
30	Appolntment of Commlttee l n t o
r e p r e s e n t a t l o n a n d c o m p o s i t i o n of
Commlttee
30	Amendment t o R u l e 2 5

2 .	I n Matter V.No.17	of I979	the	r u l e nlsl	d a t e d 2 4 A p r l l I 9 7 9
be d i scha rged .

3 . I n Matter No.26 of I 9 7 9 t h e a p p l l c a t l o n l n s o f a r as lt

re la tes t o t h e Victor ian branch of the Veh lc l e Bu l l c l e r s

Employees Federat ion of A u s t r a l i a be dismissed.

4 . I n Matter No.31 of I979 -

- A. - THAT t h e r e s p o n d e n t s L.C. Townsend, J . R . S a n d i l a n d s ,

C.E. J a r r a d , J . E . Buck, W.J. Allamby, D . J . Foreman,

J.D. Benne t t , P.W. tleehan, G . J . Burge, A. McDonald,

J.S. Thompson, J. O'Nei l l , W. Tay lo r and C. Aus t ln

and each of them pe r fo rm and obse rve the rules of t h e V e h i c l e B u l l d e r s E m p l o y e e s F e d e r a t i o n o f A u s t r a l l a

by t r e a t l n g a s n u l l and vold and of no l e g a l e f f e c t a l l

r e s o l u t i o n s p a s s e d a t p u r p o r t e d m c e t l n g s of t h e F e d e r a l

C o u n c l l of the Vehlc le Bul ldcrs Employees Federa t lon

of A u s t r a l l a h e l d o n 1 5 , I 7 a n d I8 August I 9 7 9 and

any meet ing of the Federa l Execut lve Commlt tee of

t h e F e d e r a t i o n h e l d I n connec t ion wl th those mee t lngs . .

- B. THAT o t h e r w i s e t h e r u l e n l s l d a t e d 31 August I 9 7 9

b e d i s c h a r g e d .

. . / 4 . .

- 4 -

5 . I n Matters V.No.12 o f 1979 , No.26 o f I 9 7 9 and No.31 of I 9 7 9 -

. - A. The C o u r t d e c l a r e s t h a t t h e F e d e r a l C o u n c l l a n d

t h e F e d e r a l Execut ive Committee r e s p e c t i v e l y , e a c h

b e i n g a collective body of the Vehlc le Bul lders

Employees Fede ra t lon o f Aus t r a l i a have ceased

t o e x i s t or f u n c t l o n e f f e c t l v e l y a n d t h e r e a r e n o

effect ive means under the ru les of the Federa t ion

by which e l t h e r c a n b e r e c o n s t l t u t e d o r e n a b l e d t o

f u n c t l o n e f f e c t i v e l y .

B.	The	C o u r t	d e c l a r e s	t h a t	t h e	o f f l c e s	o	f	P r e s l d e n t ,
-

Vice-Pres ldent and 2 T r u s t e e s r e s p e c t i v e l y I n t h c

F e d e r a t l o n a r e e a c h v a c a n t a n d t h e r e a r e n o e f f e c t l v e

means u n d e r t h e r u l e s o f t h e F e d e r a t l o n t o f l l l e a c h

s u c h o f f l c e .

-	C.	The	Cour t approves the fo l lowing scheme:
I.	Withln 2 1 d a y s f r o m t h e d a t e o f t h l s o r d e r
a m e e t i n g s h a l l b e c a l l e d f o r a l l t h o s e
p e r s o n s who a c c o r d i n g t o t h e rules o f t h e
F e d e r a t i o n as h e r e t o f o r e c e r t l f l e d a r e
members o f Fede ra l Counci l .
2 .	The s a i d m e e t i n g s h a l l b e c a l l e d by t h e
F e d e r a l S e c r e t a r y l n w r l t i n g a d d r e s s e d t o
each of s u c h p e r s o n s a d v l s l n g them o f t h e
da t e and p l ace o f t he mee t lng and tha t t he
b u s m e s s o f t h e m e e t i n g w i l l be t o r e s o l v e
upon a p p r o p r i a t e r u l e s , a c c o r d l n g t o t h e
c l r cums tances of t h e F e d e r a t l o n , t o p r o v l d e
f o r t h e c o n s t l t u t i o n of a Federa l Councl l
whlch s h a l l n o t b e c o n t r a r y t o t h e p r o v l s l o n s
o f t h e C o n c i l i a t l o n a n d A r b l t r a t i o n A c t 1 9 0 4 ,
as amended, s u b ~ e c t o t h e following p r o v l s l o n s :

. ./S..

. I

- 5 -

a . A l l t h o s e p e r s o n s who were e l e c t e d

de lega te s f rom Branches to the Fede ra l

Counci l accord ing t o r.1 ( b ) (1) a s

h e r e t o f o r e c e r t i f i e d s h a l l b e members

of t h e C o u n c l l f o r t h e b a l a n c e o f t h e

term f o r w h i c h t h e y were e l e c t e d p u r s u a n t

t o t h o s e r u l e s .

b . I f by reason of t h e r e c o n s t l t u t l o n o f

t h e F e d e r a l Council t h e number o f b ranch

d e l e g a t e s e x c e e d s two i n r e s p e c t of any

b r a n c h , t h e a d d l t i o n a l b r a n c h d e l e g a t e ( S )

to b e e l e c t e d p u r s u a n t t o t h l s scheme

s h a l l h o l d o f f l c e f o r t h e b a l a n c e o f t h e

term of t h o s e d e l e g a t e s a l r e a d y h o l d l n g

o f f l c e I n r e s p e c t o f t h a t b r a n c h .

3 . The s a i d m e e t l n g s h a l l b e h e l d l n M e l b o u r n e

n o t l a t e r t h a n I May 1 9 8 0 .

4 . The r u l e s so r e s o l v e d upon a t t h e s a i d

m e e t i n g s h a l l b e deemed f o r a l l p u r p o s e s t o

have been made by t h e a u t h o r i s e d r u l e - m a k i n g

a u t h o r i t y o f t h e F e d e r a t i o n i n accordance

w l t h r e l e v a n t p r o c e d u r e s l a i d down by t h e

ru les o f t h e F e d e r a t i o n .

5. Upon such r u l e s b e i n g r e s o l v e d upon as

a f o r e s a i d t h e F e d e r a l s e c r e t a r y ( o r i n h l s

a b s e n c e t h e A s s l s t a n t F e d e r a l s e c r e t a r y ) s h a l l

fo r thwl th lodge such r u l e s w i t h t h e I n d u s t r l a l

R e g l s t r a r p u r s u a n t t o s .139 o f t he Ac t fo r

c e r t l f i c a t l o n t h e r e u n d e r .

. ./6. .

- 6 -

6 . S u b j e c t t o such rules b e i n g c e r t l f i e d by t h e

I n d u s t r i a l R e g l s t r a r p u r s u a n t t o S. I 3 9 ( 4 )

any e l e c t i o n for the pu rpose of e l e c t l n g

a d d l t i o n a l d e l e g a t e s t o f e d e r a l c o u n c l l l n

accordance wl th such r u l e s s h a l l , w h e r e

necessary , be conducted and comple ted wi th in

3 months of s u c h c e r t i f l c a t i o n . Such e l e c t l o n

s h a l l be c o n d u c t e d b y t h e r e l e v a n t o f f l c e r s

o f t h e b r a n c h e s i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e r e l e v a n t

r u l e s o f t h e F e d e r a t i o n .

l . U n t l l t h e r e c o n s t l t u t l o n of t h e F e d e r a l

C o u n c i l a s a f o r e s a i d t h e members of Councl l

h o l d i n g o f f l c e p u r s u a n t t o t h e r u l e s h e r e t o f o r e

c e r t l f l e d s h a l l be deemed t o c o n s t i t u t e t h e

Federa l Councl l of t h e Federa t ion duly and

v a l i d l y elected a n d s h a l l h a v e a l l t h e powers

o f t h e Federal Counci l p rovlded for I n t h e

r u l e s of t h e F e d e r a t i o n o t h e r t h a n t h e power

to r e p e a l , a l te r o r add t o any r u l e s of t h e

F e d e r a t l o n , e x c e p t l n g f o r t h e p u r p o s e of

r e c o n s t i t u t l n g F e d e r a l C o u n c l l a s p r o v l d e d

fo r h e r e l n .

8 . U n t i l t h e r e c o n s t i t u t e d F e d e r a l C o u n c l l

e l e c t s p e r s o n s t o t h e o f f l c e s o f P r e s l d e n t ,

Vice-President and 2 T r u s t e e s , t h e members

a l r e a d y e l e c t e d t o t h o s e o f f i c e s a n d t h e

Federa l Execut lve Commit tee sha l l be deemed

to be t h e h o l d e r s o f t h o s e o f f l c e s and t o

cons t l t u t e t he Fede ra l Execu t lve Comml t t ee

and sha l l have a l l t h e p o w e r s r e l a t i n g t h e r e t o

provided f o r i n t h e r u l e s o f t h e F e d e r a t l o n .

9 . Withln 21 days of Its r e c o n s t l t u t l o n , a

m e e t i n g o f t h e r e c o n s t i t u t e d Federal Councl l

s h a l l b e c a l l e d by t h e F e d e r a l S e c r e t a r y f o r

. ./7,.

...

- 1 -

t h e p u r p o s e of e l e c t i n g a P r e s i d e n t ,

Vice-Presldent and t w o Trustees.

- D. The C o u r t d l r e c t s t h a t t h e R e g l s t r a r f o r w a r d a

copy of t h e s e o r d e r s a n d t h e r e a s o n s f o r ~ u d g r n e n t

t o t h e I n d u s t r l a l R e g l s t r a r .

- E. L l b e r t y t o any p a r t y t o a p p l y on I4 d a y s n o t l c e

t o t h e C o u r t and t o t h e o t h e r p a r t l e s t o t h e s e

p roceed ings .