In the Matter of an application by Maureen Faye Hibbert & Ors for an inquiry into an election for offices in the Federated Clerks Union of Australia

, L .

189' . : -:

I - ,

CATCHWORDS

Industrial Law - reglstered organization

- inquiry into

electlon for offlces in organization

- dual registratlon of

"Branch" - whether election conducted in accordance with

federally certified "Branch" rules

- meaning of "irregularity"

In the conduct of an election

- whether numbering

of ballot

papers constitutes an irregularity

- eligibility rule

meaning of "engaged in a clerical capacity"

Conciliation and Arbitration Act

1904 ss.133(1), 133AA, 139(4),

140, 141, 159, 160, 163, 164, 165, 170A, 171D, 171F

and 171G

Conciliation and Arbitratlon Regulations Regs.	128, 136C and
Part VAA

In the matter of an application by Maureen Faye Hlbbert and Others for an inqulry Into an election for offices in the Federated

Clerks Union

of Australia

S.A. No.15 of 1981

EVATT J.

AdeLaide

28 June and 29 July 1983

IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA	)
)

SOUTH AUSTRALIA DISTRICT REGISTRY )S.A.

N0.15 Of 1981

DIVISION

INDUSTRIAL

)

under s.159 of Conciliation and

IN THE MATTER of an application inquiry into an electlon In

THE FEDERATED

CLERKS UNION OF

AUSTRALIA, SOUTH AUSTRALIAN BRANCH

O R D E R

JUDGE MAKING ORDER: EVATT J.

DATE

ORDER:

29 July 1983

ADELAIDE THE COURT ORDERS THAT:

MADE:

WHERE

Pursuant to

s.165 of the Conclliatlon and Arbitration Act

1904 (the Act)

(1) The Court declares the election conducted

for the officesof Deputy President, Vlce

President and three Federal Councillors of

. the Federated Clerks Union

of Australia,

South Australlan Branch and completed	on
31 March 1981, to be void.

( 2 ) The Court declares that

Mr Geert Louis

Viergever was not then elected Presldent

of the Branch; Peter David Summerton was not

then elected Vice President of the Branch;

Robert Fellowes was not then elected as

Deputy President of the Branch and that

Harry David Krantz, John Kosmos Lesses and

Leslie Richard Haseldine, were not then elected

Federal Counclllors

of the Branch.

(3) The Court declares that Mlchael James Knight

was elected President

of the Branch.

(4) The Court directs that the Industrial Registrar

make arrangements for a new election pursuant to

./2.

- 2 -

s.165qof the Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1904

(the Act) for the offices of President, Vice

Presldent, Deputy Presldent and three Federal

Councillors, nominations to be called

February 1984, closing

on 20 February 1984,

and that such election be conducted in accordance

with the certified rules of the Branch

of the

organlzation as at

1 6 February 1981,

sub~ect

the following directions and order.

( 5 ) The Court declares that the certlfied rules of

the Branch as at

16 February 1981 be modlfied

that r.31(g) (iv) thereof does not apply

to the

new election, and that the term of office provided for in r.30 be varied so that the term of each offlce

shall be for the period to August 1985,

or for

such other period as the rules

of the Branch may

provide as at the close of nominations in the new

election.

( 6 ) The Court orders that the interim orders made

herein on 18 September 1981 in respect

Mr Summerton and Mr Fellowes remain in force

and continue until the election of persons

the offices

of Vice Presldent and Deputy President

respectlvely pursuant to the new election.

(7) The Court orders that Harry David Krantz, John

Kosmos Lesses and Leslie Richard Haseldine contlnue

to hold office as Federal Councillors

of the

Branch until the election of persons to such office pursuant to the new election.

(8) Llberty is given to all parties to have the matter

restored on 14 days notice to the other parties

and to the Court.

DISTRICT REGISTRAR

Date Entered:

INDUSTRIAL DIVISION

)

IN THE MATTER of an appllcatlon

under s.159 of Concillation and

Arbltration Act 1904 for an

inquiry into an election in

THE FEDERATED CLERKS UNION OF

AUSTRALIA, SOUTH AUSTRALIAN BRANCH

EVATT J.

29 July 1983

EX TEMPORE JUDGMENT

On 28 June 1983, the Court announced its determination

in this matter that an irregularity had occurred in the subject

election and that, in all the circumstances, the result of the

election may have been affected

by such irregularity. The

Court then ad-~ourned the matter in order that the parties migwnave an opportunity of perusing the reasons for judgment

before maklng submisslons as

to what orders, If any, should

be made. The partles have availed themselves

of such opportunity.

In the reasons for judgment there was a finding that the late Mr Viergever, the successful candidate for the office

of Presldent of the Branch, was at the tlme of

hls nomination

inellglble to be nominated. At the time when nominatlons for

that office closed there were but two candidates, namely,

Mr Viergever and Mr Mlchael James Knlght.

The Court, In Its reasons for

~udgment,

has found that

the numbering of ballot papers In accordance wlth Branch r.31(g) ( 4 ) constituted the irregularlty found and that that irregularity

. . I L . .

- 2 -

may have affected the result of the electlon.

The rule providing for such numbering of the ballot

papers has been in the certified rules for many years and it

has been the practice in elections held in this Branch for ballot

papers to be

so numbered. The Court makes reference to this matter

at this stage to highlight the reason for the finding of the

irregularity being the basis	Of	the Court's determination
in this inquiry.

As was stated in the reasons for judgment handed down

on 28 June 1983, it is a practice which should cease, and no doubt will cease, in the future. There is no suggestion that there was, or has been, any mala fides on the part of any

official of the Branch

in the numbering of the ballot papers.

In the submissions made to the Court slnce the handing

down of its reasons for judgment, counsel

representmg the Branch

of the organization submitted that under

s.165(3) of the Act

the Court has

a discretion whether

it should make any order

even though it has made the findings set out

In its reasons.

On the other hand, the applicants and the federal organizatlon claim that the Court, having made those findings, must make

appropriate orders pursuant to

s.165(3).

As it is proposed to

make certain orders, it is unnecessary that a definitive determination

be made as to whether the Court ln such circumstances has a

residual discretlon, but it

1s pointed out that in Kelly

-v-

The Amalgamated Metal Workers and Shipwrights Union

(1981) 56 F.L.R.124,

at p.149 Sheppard

J. determined that s.165 does make provislon for

.	. / 3 . .

- 3 -

such a residual discretion.

The Court, pursuant to

s.165 of the Act, makes the following

orders :

1. The Court declares the election conducted for the officesof Deputy Presldent, Vice President and three Federal Councillors of the Federated Clerks Union of Australia,

South Australian Branch and completed

31 March 1981, to be void.

2. The Court declares that Mr Geert Louis Viergever was not then elected President

of the Branch; Peter David

Sumerton was not

then elected Vice President of the Branch;

Robert Fellowes was not then elected as

Deputy President

of the Branch and that

Harry Davld Krantz, John KosmOS Lesses and

Leslie Richard Haseldlne, were not then elected

Federal Councillors

of the Branch.

3. The Court declares that Michael James Knight was elected President of the Branch.

4.	make arrangements for a new election for the offices of President, Vice President, Deputy Presldent and three Federal Councillors, nominations to be called in February 1984, closing

The Court directs that the Industrial Reglstrar conducted in accordance with the certlfied rules

of the Branch

of the organizatlon as at

16 February 1981,

./4..

- 4 -

subject to the following dlrections and order.

5. The Court declares that the certified rules of

the Branch as

at 16 February 1981 be modlfled

so that

r. 31

( g ) (iv) thereof does not apply to the new election,

and that the term of office provided for in

r.30

be varied so that the term of each offlce shall be for

the period to August 1985,

or for such other perlod

as the rules of the Branch may provide as at the close

of nominations in the new election.

6. The Court

ewers that the interim orders made

herein on

18 September 1981 in respect

Mr Summerton and Mr Fellowes remain in force

and continue until the election of persons

the offices of Vice Presldent and Deputy President

respectlvely pursuant to the new election.

7. The Court orders that Harry David Krantz, John Kosmos Lesses and Leslie Richard Haseldlne continue to hold office as Federal Councillors of the Branch until the election

of persons to such office pursuant

to the new election.

8. Liberty is given to all partles to have the matter

restored on 14 days notice

to the other partles and

to the Court.

I think I have covered everythlng, gentlemen.

Although I have not formally stated it, the new

election wlll be

an electlon under s.165A of the Act.

I certify that this and the

three

preceeding pages are a true

copy of the

Reasons for Judgment herein

of his Honour

Mr Justlce P

.G. Evatt

M c h & 29-7.83

Assoclate

I N THE FEDERAL COURT OF

AUSTRALIA

SOUTH

AUSTRALIAN

DISTRICT

REGISTRY

S . A .

NO.15 Of 1961

DIVISION

INDUSTRIAL

I N THE MATTER of an

application under s .159 of Conci l ia t ion and Arbi t ra t ion

A c t 1904 for an inqu i ry i n t o

an e lect ion i n THE FEDERATED

CLERKS

UNION

O F ~ S T R A L I A ,

SOUTH

AUSTRALIAN

BRANCH

EVATT J.

28 June 1983

REASONS

FOR

JUDGMENT

On 16

July

1981

Maureen Faye Hibbert, Michael James

Knight , Michael Anthony

ichard, James Leslie Bai ley as members of

Alexander

Milne

Rober t son .

Frederick

William

Higgins

and

the Federated

Clerks

Union

A u s t r a l i a ,

South

Australian

Eranch

( t h e

Branch

of appl icat ion

t he

o r g a n i z a t i o n )

l o d g e d

w i t h

the

I n d u s t r i a l

Regis t rar

under

Par t

I X of

the

Conciliation

and

Arbitration A c t 19'34

( the

Federa l

A c t )

seeking

inquiry

i n t o

t h e e lect ion of

the

Branch

Pres ident ,

the

Branch

Deputy

Pres ident ,

the

Branch

Vice-President

and

three

Federa l

C o u n c i l l o r s

o f

t h e

Branch

o f

t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n

which

had

been

completed on 31 March 1981.

The

Federated

Clerks

Union

A u s t r a l i a

( t h e

organiza t ion)

i s

o rganiza t ion

employees

registered

under

t h e

F e d e r a l

A c t .

I t

h a s

r e g i s t e r e d

b r a n c h e s

i n

t h e

v a r i o u s

States

Austral

including South Austral

I n

t h e

s a i d

e l e c t i o n

t h e

f i r s t

and

f i f t h

named

app l i can t s

were

candida tes

for

two

the

posi t ions

Branch

Federal

Councillor;

the

second

named

app l i can t

candlda te

for

t he o f f i ce f o r t h e o f f i c e o f

o f

P re s iden t ;

t he

t h i rd

named

app l i can t

candldate

Branch

Deputy

Pres ident whi l s t the four th

named

app l i can t

was

cand ida te a p p l i c a n t s

o f f i ce

t he

fo r

o f

Branch

Vice-President.

None

o f

t h e

w a s

success fu l ,

t he

m a r g i n s

f o r

e a c h

o f f i c e

o t h e r

t h a n

B r a n c h

F e d e r a l

C o u n c i l l o r

being

i n

t h e v i c i n i t y

o f

t o 1 aga ins t

i n a

t o t a l

v o t e o f

some

2000

i n

respec t o f each of f ice .

The

app l i ca t ion

fo r

such

i nqu i ry

pa r t i cu la r l s ed

a l l eged

i r r egu la r i t i e s

cove r ing

some

foo l scap

pages

de t a i l s

which

a r e d e a l t w i t h l a t e r h e r e i n .

The

Indus t r i a l

Reg i s t r a r

a f t e r

s a t i s fy ing

h imse l f

t ha t

t he re

were

reasonable grounds for

inquiry

referred

the mat

ter

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

C o u r t

( see s . 1 6 0

t h e

F e d e r a l

A c t ) .

T h e r e a f t e r

t h e

and

poin ts

o f

defence

the

appl icants ,

the

o rganlza t ion ,

the

Branch

of the o rganiza t ion

and

cer ta in persons

whom

the Court

had

allowed

to appear or to be represented

(s.164).

On 1 7 September 1981 Mr

Johns ton Q . C . ,

who

w i t h M r

H e y w o o d - S m i t h ,

a p p e a r e d

f o r

t h e

s u c c e s s f u l

c a n d l d a t e s

i n

t h e

e l e c t i o n

and

(so

f a r

a s

it was

l ega l ly

poss ib l e ) g r a n t e d

fo r

t he i n t e r i m

Branch

o f t h e pursuant

o r g a n i z a t i o n ,

s o u g h t

and

was

o r d e r s

s .163

the

Federal

Act

t ha t

t he

success fu l

c a n d i d a t e s

f o r

t h e

o f f i c e s

o f

Branch

Pres ident ,

Branch

Deputy

Pres ldent and the

Branch

Vice-President

who

had

assumed

o f f l c e

following

the

sub-ject e lect ion cont lnue

t o

a c t I n e a c h r e s p e c t i v e

o f f i c e .

M r Mansf ie ld

who,

w i t h

M r Moloney ,

appeared

for

the

appl lcants

opposed th i s

appl ica t ion

and submi t ted

tha t

the

C o u r t

i n a l l respec t ive appl icants

t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s s h o u l d

make

i n t e r i m o r d e r s t h a t

t h e

who	had purported to nominate as candidates

f o r e a c h circumstances which are referred

o f

t h e

s a i d

t h r e e

o f f i c e s

o n

1 6

J a n u a r y

1 9 8 1

i n

t o	l a t e r i n t h e s e r e a s o n s b e t h e

holders

o f

the

respec t ive

o f f ices

pendlng

the

dec is ion

the

C o u r t

i n t h e i n q u i r y .

E a c h

t h e

s u c c e s s f u l

c a n d i d a t e s

h a d

I n

f a c t

b e e n

elected

t o t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e o f f i c e s i n

1975

and

agaln in 1978.

A s

a t 1 7 September

1981 t h e

1 9 7 8

e l e c t i o n ,

b e l n g

a n

e l e c t l o n

completed

wlthin

4 years , may then

have

been

challenged

b u t

t h e

1975

e l ec t ion ,

ing

comple t ed

t h a n

y e a r s b e f o r e t h a t

date,

w a s ,

sub-ject t o

s . 1 7 1 G ,

deemed

t o b e v a l i d f o r a l l p u r p o s e s

( s e e s.171F

the

Federal

Act)

vlew

t h e

v o t e s

c a s t

f o r

each of

t h e

c a n d i d a t e s

f o r

e a c h

o f

t h e

t h r e e

o f f i c e s

i n

t h e

s u b j e c t

e l e c t l o n

t h e

C o u r t ,

b e i n g

s a t i s f l e d

t h a t

t h e

e f f i c l e n t o rgan iza t ion

conduc t

t he

a f f a i r s

t he

Branch

o f

t he

would

n o t

lmpa i red

mak

lng

t he

i n t e r lm

o rde r s

sough t

b y

M r

Johnston

ordered

that ,

pending cand ida te s

fur ther

order

the

Court

the

th ree

success fu l

con t inue

t o

ac t

i n

t h e

o f f l c e s

t h a t

they had

assumed

fo l lowing

the

dec la ra t ion

the

po l l

the

sub jec t e l ec t ion .

BACKGROUND

o rde r

unde r s t and

t o

ce r t a in

o f

t he

a l l eged

i r r e g u l a r i t i e s

p a r t i c u l a r i s e d

b y

t h e

a p p l i c a n t s

b r i e f

h l s t o r y

the

South For many years

Australian

Branch

the

o rgan iza t ion

set

o u t .

in South commonly known a s

Austral

there

has e i t h e r

been

associat

ion

employees

" t h e

S o u t h

A u s t r a l i a n

Branch of the	Clerks	Unlon" o r simply	"the	Clerks	Unlon	of	South
Aus t ra l ia" .

A t a l l

r e l e v a n t

times Conci l la t lon

t h e r e

h a s

b e e n

r e g i s t e r e d

i n

accordance

with

the

Industr ia l

and

Arbi t ra t ion

Act

1972

(S .A . )

( the

South

Australian

Act)

unlon

under

the

name of

the "Federated

Clerks

Union

Austral ia ,

South

Austral ian

B r a n c h "

w h i c h

h e r e i n a f t e r

s h a l l

b e

r e f e r r e d

t o

a s

" t h e

S t a t e Eranch of t h e

Union". This also

has

been

the

formal

name

o f

t h e

organizat ion

s ince

about

1919

i n

South

Aus t ra l ia

( see

federa l

r . 1 2 ( 1 ) ) .

Pursuant t o ss.139

and

140 of

the

South

Australian

A c t

t h e S t a t e

Union

r e g i s t r a t i o n became on

and

from the day

Its

r e g i s t r a t i o n

"body

corporate

i t s

r eg i s t e red

name"

having

common

s e a l

and

pe rpe tua l success ion w i th t he r l gh t t o sue

and

sued

i n its corpora te name

and

capac l ty .

A t a l l

r e l e v a n t

times

r u l e s

o f

t h e

S t a t e

Union

( t h e

S t a t e

Union

r u l e s )

were

r eg l s t e red

wi th

the

South accordance with the South Australian

Aus t ra l ian

S ta te

Indus t r la l

Regis t ra r

Also

dur ing

t h i s B r a n c h

pe r iod

ru l e s

o f o r g a n i z a t l o n

t he

o rgan iza t lon

( t he

F e d e r a l

r u l e s )

a n d

o f

t h e

o f

t h e Branch

( t h e

c e r t i f i e d

r u l e s

t h e

the

organizatlon

the

Branch

Rules)

have

been

regis tered

with

the

Federal

Industr la l

Regis t ra r .

unt i l

about

1974

re levant

ru les

the

Unlon and t h e Branch

t he

o rgan iza t ion

were

t h e

same.

Both

s e t s o f Executive and f o r

r u l e s

made c e r t a i n o f f i c e r s

p rov i s ion

fo r

Branch

Council

and

Branch

and

t h e i r

e l e c t i o n .

Both

s e t s

o f r eg i s t e red o r ce r t i f i ed ru l e s i nc luded

r u l e

making

provis lon

for t h e amendment o f

t he

r e spec t ive

r u l e s .

Addit ional ly

r . 1 2 ( 2 )

o f

t h e

c e r t i f i e d

F e d e r a l

r u l e s

a t

a l l

r e l e v a n t o rgan iza t lon sha l l

times

provlded conform

t h a t t h e

r u l e s

o f

b ranches

o f

t he

t o

t h e

rules

the

o rganiza t ion

and F e d e r a l

t h a t

s u b ~ e c t

t o

the

f ede ra l

r u l e s

and

t o t h e

a p p r o v a l

t h e

E x e c u t l v e ,

branch

s h a l l h a v e i n t e r n a l management

power

t o make (emphasis

r u l e s from

time

t o t i m e f o r

Its

own

added).

A t

a l l

r e l e v z n t

times

any amendment t o t h e

r u l e s

o f

e i t h e r

t h e S t a t e

Union

t h e

Branch

the

organizat

ion

had

e f f e c t u n t i l

approved

c e r t i f i e d b y e i t h e r t h e S t a t e I n d u s t r i a l

Regis t ra r pursuant to

' s . 1 2 1 ( 2 )

of Indus t r l a l

the South Austral ian

A c t

t h e

one hand t o S .139(4) of the

o r ,

the Federal

o the r ,

t he

Reg l s t r a r

pu r suan t

Act

and

reg.

128

the

regula t ions

made

thereunder.

practlce

any

amendments

t o t h e r u l e s

t h e

Branch of

t h e

o r g a n i z a t i o n Indus t r i a l

c o u l d

n o t

h a v e

b e e n

l o d g e d

f o r

ce r t l f i ca t ion

t he

Reg i s t r a r

un t i l 1 2 8 ( 2 )

app roved

the

Federal

Executive.

(see

reg.

which

p r o v i d e s

t h a t

Statutory

Declarat ion

f i l ed

i n

suppor t

o f

app l l ca t ion

t o

amend

t h e r u l e s s h o w i n g t h a t t h e a l t e r a t i o n h a s b e e n

made

accordance with the

r u l e s

the o rganiza t ion

the Branch).

i s c l e a r

i n

view t h a t

f o r

y e a r s

d i s t i n c t i o n

has been and the Members between

made

i n the normal

course

business

the

Officlals

the r e f e r r e d

State

Union

and

t h e

Branch

o f

t he

organiza t ion .

Both

were

t o

s i m p l y

a s

" t h e

Branch"

the

bodies

each

"the

Branch

Counc i l " or

" the Branch

Executive"

and

the

r u l e s a s " the

Branch

r u l e s " .

w i l l be

s e e n l a t e r

t h e d a t e ,

1 9

January

1981,

was

ma te r i a l

da t e .

Between

1974 and

1 9 January

1981

meetings

body known within " the

Branch"

slmply

a s t h e

"Branch Council" met

from

time

t o t i m e and

adopted resolut ions including

amendments

t o

" t h e

Branch

R u l e s " .

During

t h l s

p e r i o d

t h e r e p r ln ted

was

i n genera l

u s e

wi th in

the

Branch

only time t h i s

the

one

se t

ru les

I n

booklet

form.

From

t i m e

t o

r u l e

book

would

b e

r e p r l n t e d

t o

inc lude amendments t o t h e

r u l e s adopted by the Branch

Council

and

would

t h e r e a f t e r beccme

t h e r u l e

book

for the

use

the

Branch

o f f i c i a l s .

was

a l so

i s sued

t o those members of

the

Eranch

who

requested a copy of

t h e Branch r u l e s .

Following

the

adoption

amendments

t o

t h e

r u l e s

t h e

Branch

Council

durlng

t h i s

p e r i o d

t h e Australian

Branch

Secretary,

I n

accordance

with

the

provisions

the

South

Act

and

r egu la t ions ,

would

lodge the

amendments

with the South Australlan

I n d u s t r i a l

R e g i s t r a r

f o r amendments to

r e g i s t r a t i o n

and t he Fede ra l

a t t h e

same

time

would

forward

copies

the

Sec re t a ry

t h e

organizat ion

(whose

off ice accordance

was

i n Melbourne)

fo r

app rova l

t he

Federal Executive t h e S o u t h A u s t r a l i a n I n d u s t r i a l

with

Federal

r . l 2 ( 2 ) .

Thereaf te r

R e g i s t r a r

r e g i s t e r e d v a r i o u s

r e l evan t

amendments

t o the

S t a t e

Unlon

ru les

accordance

t h e p r o v i s i o n s w h i c h a r e

t h e

S o u t h

A u s t r a l i a n

A c t .

B u t

f o r

r e a s o n s

n o t

r e l e v a n t

t o

t h i s i n q u i r y t h e

amendments

t o t h e

r u l e s

t h e

Branch

o f t he o rgan iza t ion

which

had

been

forwarded

t h e

t o

F e d e r a l

S e c r e t a r y

t h e

o f

o r g a n i z a t l o n

d u r i n g

t h i s

pa r t l cu la r

pe r iod

had

not

rece ived

the

approval

the

Federa

Executive and consequently

had

not

been

lodged

wlth

the

Federal

I n d u s t r i a l

R e g i s t r a r

f o r

c e r t i f i c a t i o n

p u r s u a n t

t o

s . 1 3 9 ( 4 )

o f 1 9 8 1

t h e F e d e r a l r eg i s t e red

A c t .

C o n s e q u e n t l y

a t

1 9

J a n u a r y

t h e

r u l e s

t h e

S t a t e

Unlon

and

t h e

c e r t i f i e d

r u l e s

t h e Branch r e s p e c t s p a r t i c u l a r l y

the

organization

were

n o t

i d e n t i c a l

i n nominatlons

m a t e r i a l

t o t h e

l as t

day

for

lodging

e l e c t i o n s

I n

f o r

t h e

s u b j e c t

Branch

o f f i c e r s

and

Federal

Counc i l lo r s ,

t he

ru l e

i n

r e spec t

o f

t he r u l e s

appo in tmen t

o f

R e t u r n i n g

O f f l c e r ,

t h e

g o v e r n i n g

t h e

p r o c e d u r e

f o r

t h e

e l e c t i o n o f p rov id lng fo r t he e l ig ib i l i t y o f

o f f i c e r s

and

Branch

Counci l lors

and

t h e

r u l e s

members.

These mat ters are deal t

w i t h l a t e r h e r e i n .

F u r t h e r ,

i n

a b o u t

1975

pursuant

agreements

made

between

certain employers of

members

of the Branch and the Branch

i t s e l f ,

employers made

deductions

from

the

wages

members

t o

cover those deductions

members'

s u b s c r l p t i o n s

t h e

t o

Branch.

Such

were

made

e i t h e r

weekly,

for tnight ly

monthly

depending on the

par t lcu lar

employer .

Employers

t rad i t iona l ly

c losed

t he i r

bus inesses shown t h a t many of them who had

between

Christmas

and

the

New

Year

and

experience

had

deducted

appropr ia te

amounts forward

i n

r e s p e c t

members'

subscr lp t ions

dur

ing

December did

not

those

amounts

t o t h e

Branch

u n t i l

l a t e

In J anua ry , a t 31 December of a par t icular

w i th

t he

r e su l t

t ha t

l i s t of compiled

members

f i n a n c i a l

a s

year

during

January

the

fol lowing

year

from

the

r eco rds

kep

w i th in

t he

Branch

d ld

not necessar i ly I n t h i s r e g a r d

inc lude

a l l

f l n a n c l a l members

a s a t

December.

separate record

was

k e p t i n r e s p e c t o f

payments

dues t o t he S t a t e

Union

t o t h e

Branch of the organization.

The

r e g l s t e r e d

r u l e s

o f

t h e

S t a t e

Union

and

t h e

c e r t i f i e d

r u l e s n o m i n a t i o n s

o f

t he

Branch

the

organizat

lon

pr p o s l t i o n s

lor

1976

p r o v i d e d

t h a t

f o r

c e r t a i n

o f f l c e s

a n d

within the Branch

were

t o c l o s e

t h e t h i r d

Monday

In January ln

p a r t i c u l a r

y e a r s

and

tha t

the

nominators

and

nominees

for

such

o f f i c e s o r

pos i t i ons

were

t o be m a t t e r s

f l n a n c i a l

a t

Cecember

t h e p r e v i o u s d i f f i c u l t i e s

y e a r . had been experienced

B e c a u s e

t h e

r e f e r r e d

t o

a b o v e

in a sce r t a in ing t he co r rec tness

o f

t h e

l i s t o f

f i n a n c i a l

members

a s a t

3 1 December.

Consequently

t h e

Branch

Council

had

i n 1976 adopted

amendment

t o t h e

Branch

r u l e s

t ha t nomina t ions fo r t hose o f f l ces

and

p o s i t i o n s

were

t o

c lose

t h e t h i r d

Monday nomlnators

in Feb rua ry , t he cu t -o f f da t e a s t o t he

f inanc ia l

pos l t ion

the

and

nominees

s t i l l belng

December

the previous year .

accordance this amendment both t o t h e South

h i s

p rac t ice

the

Branch Australlan

Secre ta ry

had

forwarded

Indus t r l a l Reg i s t r a r

and

t o

the

Federal Secretary for approval

the Federal

Execut ive.

Thereaf ter amendment b u t it i s now

the

South Austral

ian Industr

Reglstrar

approved

the

known

t h a t

t h e

s a i d amendment was

not

cons consequently

ldered

the

Federa

Execut ive p r lor

t o 20 January

1981

and

had

n o t

been

lodged

wlth

the

Indus t r i a l

Reg i s t r a r

for

c e r t i f i c a t i o n

p u r s u a n t

t o

s .139(4 )

the Federal

b e f o r e t h e t h i r d

Monday

in J anua ry o f t ha t yea r ,

namely

19 January 1981.

The

evldence shows t h a t i n

1975 and

1978 t h e r e was only

the

one

e l ec t ion he ld

each

t hose

yea r s

fo r

t he

f i l l i ng

o f

t h e o f f i c e s Federa l Counci l lors in bo th the S ta te

Pres ldent ,

Deputy

President,

Vice-President

and

Union

and

t h e

Branch r e spec t

o f t h e

organiza t ion

and electlons

t h a t

was t o be the

pos i t l on

i n

t h e

t r i e n n i a l

f o r t h e e lec t lon had

t h o s e

o f f i c e s

t o

he ld

i n

February/March

1981.

1978

been

conducted

I n

accordance with

the

provls lons

r .31

appearlng

the

Branch

r u l e book;

t h a t i s any necessary bal lot

was

t o be

a again

p o s t a l b a l l o t

o f the whole of

t h e membershlp o f

t h e

Branch.

This

was t o

the

pos i t lon

1981.

Fu r the r

t h i s

had

a l s o been

t h e

p o s i t i o n

10.

i n r ega rd Branch Secretary

t o the

e l ec t lon

t he

Branch

Secre ta ry

and

Ass i s t an t

1978.

There

was

b u t t he

one

e l ec t lon

fo r

t hese

two

o f f i ces

t he

S t a t e

Reg i s t e red

Unlon

and

the

Branch

t he o rgan iza t ion .

Again t h e m e m b e r s h i p

any

necessa ry ba l lo t

was

t o be

a p o s t a l d e s p i t e

b a l l o t

o f

t h e w h o l e o f

the

Branch

the

f a c t

t h a t ,

a s Branch

w i l l b e

s e e n

l a t e r

h e r e i n ,

t h e

c e r t i f i e d

r u l e s

t h e

i n

1978

p r o v i d e d

t h a t

t h e

f i l l l n g

o f t h e s e members of the Branch

t w o

o f f i c e s

was Council.

t o be

c o l l e g i a t e

e l e c t l o n

b y

Further

the

evidence

1s t h a t a t a l l

r e l e v a n t

times

a l l

members of the Clerks Union i n South

Australia

belonged

t o b o t h

“Unions“ ,

tha t

i s

t h e

S t a t e

Union

and

t h e

Branch

t h e

organiza t ion

and

only paid the one

set

of dues each year .

regards

the

intended

t imlng

the

sub lec t

e lec t ion ,

the

ev idence

i s t h a t t h e

Branch

Secre ta ry on

2 9 August

1980

had

f i l e d w i t h t h e f e d e r a l I n d u s t r i a l R e g l s t r a r i n

Melbourne

a r e t u r n , Federa l

s t a t e d

t o

p u r s u a n t

t o

r e g . 1 3 6 B

made

u n d e r

t h e

Act

b u t Reg i s t r a r

o b v i o u s l y

m e a n t

t o

p u r s u a n t

t o r e g .

136C.

adv l s ing

t he

t ha t

nomina t ions

fo r

t he

f l l l i ng

o f

t he

s u b j e c t o f f i c e s

were

to be ca l l ed no t l a t e r t han

9 F u r t h e r ,

February

1981

and were agenda forwarded by the Branch Secretary

t o

c l o s e

Monday,

1 6

F e b r u a r y

1 9 8 1 .

t h e

t o

Branch

Councl l lors

1 4 January

1981

respect

the

meeting

t h e Branch

Council

t o be he Branch Elect ions:

2 0

January

1981

shows

i tem Returnlng

no.9: Cfficer

“ the

1981

( a ) appointment

and

(b)

11.

ass i s t ance t o Re tu rn ing Of f i ce r . "

Further it

is c l e a r from

the

ldence

tha t

meet

lngs

t h e Branch Council and

Branch

Executive

held

from tlme t o tune

dur ing

re levant

per iods

unt i l

January

1981

were

n o t

c l e a r l y

designated

meet ings o f

ther

the Counci l

Execut ive of

the

S t a t e Union

o r

o f

t he

Branch i n q u i r y

the

o rganiza t ion .

th l s

regard

i s

n o t e d

t h a t

i n

t h i s

t h e r e

h a s B r a n c h C o u n c i l

b e e n

r e a l

i s s u e

whether

p a r t i c u l a r

m e e t l n g o f

t h e

o r

t h e

Branch

Executive was

i n fact

meet ing of the S ta te

Union

body

o r

of the

body

o f t he

Branch

o f t he o rgan iza t ion

and consequently

f i n d i n g i n t h i s r e g a r d

i s

made

i n t h i s i n q u i r y i n r e s p e c t

any

of	such meetlngs.

Fur ther ,

i s c l e a r

t h a t

d u r i n g

t h i s

t i m e - t h e

v a r i o u s

r u l e books

which

had

b e e n

p r i n t e d

b y

t h e

B r a n c h

f o l l o w i n g

amendments being

regis tered

the

South

Austral

ian

Industr la l

Regls t ra r

were

t r e a t e d

t h e

o f f i c l a l s

t h e

Branch

a s

b e i n g

t h e r u l e s o f

t h e B r a n c h w i t h o u t a n y d e l i b e r a t e c o n s l d e r a t i o n

be ing

iven

t he

o f f i c i a l s

t o

whe the r

such

r u l e s were

t h e

c e r t i f i e d

r u l e s

o f

t he

Branch

t he

o rgan iza t ion

cr were the

r eg i s t e red

r u l e s of

t h e S t a t e

Union.

addi t ion heard

it is no ted

t ha t

t he

Cour

a s

p re sen t ly

cons t i tu ted

has

cons iderable

ev ldence

some

fou r

o the r

proceedings

concerning

the Branch

the o rganiza t lon

which

were

. >

12.

commenced between 1 3 February 19E1 and 2 1 October

1981

pursuant

t o s.140

and /o r s.141

o f

t h e

F e d e r a l

A c t .

The

a p p l i c a n t s

i n

those

proceedings

are

the

main

t h e

same

a p p l i c a n t s

i n

t h e

present

inqui ry .

Those

p roceed ings

i nvo lve

( i n t e r

a l i a ) organizatlon

cha l l enges

t o

t he

ru l e s

t he

Branch

the

under

S .l40

the Federal

A c t p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e

r u l e s p rovid ing for the

term

o f o f f i c e f o r t h e

Branch

Secretary

and

t h e Branch Ass l s t an t

Sec re t a ry ,

t he

r u l e p rov id ing fo r

t he e l ec t lon o f

members

o f t h e

B r a n c h

C o u n c i l

o t h e r

t h a n appointment

t h e

o f f l c e r s

the

Branch

and

the

rules

providing

for

the

Returnmg

Officer.

The

main

thrus t

o f

those cha l lenges apar t

from

t h e

term

of o f f i ce o f

t h e

B r a n c h

S e c r e t a r y

a n d Branch

t h e

B r a n c h Council

A s s i s t a n t

S e c r e t a r y

was

f i r s t ,

t h a t

t h e

as a t December 1960/January 1981

was

improperly const i tuted

t ha t t he appo in tmen t by t he

Branch

C o u n c l l

o f

t h e

R e t u r n i n g

O f f i c e r

who

c o n d u c t e d

t h e

s u b j e c t

e l e c t i o n was

inva l id

and

second ly ,

t ha t

t he

Eranch

C o u n c i l

whlch

had

adopted

amendments

to cons t i t u t ed

r e l evan t

ru l e s

du r ing

t he

yea r s

t o

1981

had

been

i nva l id ly

t he

r e su l t remaln

t ha t

such

amendments

were addl t ion

inva l id .

These

proceedings

four

par t -heard.

two

fur ther

o rders -n is i

have

recent ly

been granted pursuant

s.141 of

the

Eederal

Act

some

of the

appl icants

the

p resent

lnqul ry

where ln func t ion ing

fur ther

se r ious

cha l lenges

the

Branch

and

i t s p rope r ty

a r e

ra i sed . Evidence in these

two

m a t t e r s h a s y e t t o b e

commenced.

The above

does

n o t

p u r p o r t t o

d e t a i l e d

summary

t h e

voluminous

evidence

given

t h i s

m q u i r y and

i n

t h e

o t h e r

13.

proceedings

but

i s

simply

introductlon

so t o speak t o

p a r t i c u l a r m a t t e r s

which

a r e d e a l t w i t h i n

some

d e t a i l h e r e a f t e r .

During

the

hea

ing

a l l

t hese

p roceed ings

w a s

a p p a r e n t

t o

t h e

C o u r t

t h a t

e v e r t h e r e

was

c a s e w h e r e a n a p p l l c a t l o n

under

s . 1 7 1 D

of the Federa l

A c t

seeking the approval by the

C o u r t

o f

"scheme" w a s necessa ry

t hen

t h l s

w a s

t h a t

c a s e ( c f .

S h e r r l f

& Ors. -v-

Townsend

O r s . ,

( ( 1980)

4 s F.L.R.

20).

From time to

t ime dur ing ind ica ted

the

hear ing

the

va r ious

ma t t e r s

t he

Court

th i s

v iew.

Bu t

was

the

con ten t ion

the

app l i can t s

t h a t

a n

a p p l l c a t i o n

u n d e r

S . 1 7 1 D

c o u l d

n o t

b e

made

because

Federa l

ru le

12(5) contained

provisions

which,

so it was claimed,

were

e f f e c t i v e means

b y

w h i c h

t h e

F e d e r a l

E x e c u t i v e

t h e e n a b l e

organizat ion

could

amend

t h e Branch ru les so

a s

t o

t h e

Branch

t o f u n c t i o n e f f e c t i v e l y ( s e e

s . 1 7 1 D ) .

Thls

Federa l ru l e

i s

se t	o u t l a t e r h e r e i n .

The

Cour t i s aware

o f

t h e

p r o b l e m s

f o l l o w i n g

t h e

dec ls ion of

t h e

Commonwealth

Indus t r ia l

Cour t

Moore -v-

Doyle

& O r s . , organizat ions

(1969) regis tered

1 5 F . L . R .

59 which

have

confronted

n u m e r o u s

under

the

Federal

Act

wi th

ranches

New

South

Wales

and/or South Australia

which

a r e r e g l s t e r e d

under

the r e spec t ive branches may be and often

S t a t e

A c t s .

The

a c t s of

b ranch

o f f i c i a l s

such

have

been

exposed

challenges

under

ss .l40

and 141 of the Federal

A c t by any

member

who

1s reasonably

conve r san t

w i th t he p r inc ip l e s l a id

down

i n t h a t c a s e

and

who

aware

the

numerous

administrative

problems

withln

such d e c i s i o n .

b r a n c h e s

t h a t

may h a v e

a r i s e n

a s

r e s u l t

o f

t h a t

I r respect ive of

the

motives

such

a member, he

can bring about

a s t a t e of confronted

a f f a i r s w h e r e

t h e

o f f i c i a l s

o f

s u c h Such proceedings of

b r a n c h a r e

with

proceedings

the

Court .

necess i ty may

require

thorough

and

l e n g t h y

r e s e a r c h

b e i n g

f i r s t

made,

fol lowed

lengthy

and c o n s e q u e n c e s

of ten

complex

evidence

belng

p r e s e n t e d

t o

t h e

C o u r t ,

t h e

w h i c h

may

t o

e f f e c t i v e l y bleed

the branch of

i ts f lnances and

also, because

t h e time-consuming e i t h e r m a t e r i a l l y

e f f o r t s weaken

o f

t h e the branch

o f f i c i a l s

o f

t h e

b r a n c h ,

t o

e f f e c t i v e l y d e s t r o y

it.

I n

t h i s

r e g a r d

c e r t a i n

t h e

p a r t i e s

t o

t h i s

i n q u i r y

and cer ta in r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f t h e

respondents

other

the

proceedings Branch have challenged the standing of the

being

third named respondent, Mr

Prichard. An i s sue

has

been

ra i sed

t o whether

w a s

and

s t i l l

e n t i t l e d

t o

b e

member

o f

t h e

organiza t ion

h a v e

t o

a s

l o c u s

s t a n d i

t h e

i n

v a r i o u s

p r o c e e d i n g s .

S e r i o u s q u e s t i o n s a s t o h i s

c r e d i t i b i l i t y h a v e b e e n

r a i s e d .

The

Court i s aware

t h a t

f o r

some years up u n t l l 1980 M r

Prichard

had

been

employed

a s a

f u l l - t i m e

Branch

organiser and

t h a t i n September

1980 he had

been

dismissed

from

t h a t p o s i t i o n .

I t

i s

c l e a r

t h a t

h e p roceedings .

is the dominant applicant

the

group

appl lcants

the

appl icants

a lone

has

taken

ive

in te res t

the

roceedings

a t tending

C o u r t

a l l

hea r ing days

and

i s

obvlously

the

person

giving

instruct ions

t o t h e cons t i t u t ed

a p p l i c a n t s '

l e g a l

r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s .

The

C o u r t

a s

p r e s e n t l y

aware

t h a t h e , a s

member

the South Australian

Branch of t h e Shop Assistants

Union,

was

a c t i v e

i n

a prolonged

15.

f a c t i o n a l

f i g h t

i n v o l v i n g

t h e

V i c t o r i a n

b r a n c h

t h e

S h o p ,

D i s t r lbu t ive

and

Al l i ed

bp loyees '

Assoc ia t ion

o f

Aus t r a l l a

during

1976-7. (cf .

Leveridge

O r s . (1977)

-v-

Shop Dis t r lbu t lve and

Allied

Employees'

Association,

31 FLR

3 8 5 ) .

the

present

inquiry

evidence

has

been

l e d

regarding

cer ta in conduct which on one view might support an allegation of an offence under

leged

have

been

carr

ied

out

Prichard

the Federal

A c t

having

been

committed

him.

The

C o u r t has

been

asked

t o make

c e r t a i n f i n d i n g s i n t h i s r e g a r d .

The

C o u r t

h a s a l s o

b e e n a s k e d t o

e x p r e s s

i t s

v l e w i n r e g a r d

t o

t h e c r e d i t o f

P r i c h a r d .

I n

v l e w

t h e

f i n d i n g s

a n d

o r d e r s

t h a t

t h e

C o u r t

p r o p o s e s

t o

make

i n t h i s I n q u i r y a n d t h e f a c t

t h a t

t h e o t h e r

p r o c e e d i n g s r e f e r r e d t o a b o v e a r e

s t i l l

p a r t h e a r d t h e

C o u r t

f e e l s

t h a t

f ind ing

o r

obse rva t ions

i n

r ega rd

t o

t hese

questions

should

be made e l i g i b i l i t y

a t t h i s s t a g e

b u t has

agreed

t o make

d e t e r m i n a t i o n

a s

t o

h i s

for

manbershlp

the

o rgan iza t ion a s

a t t h e time

nominating

a s a

cand ida te

t he

s u b j e c t

e l e c t i o n .

Such

determinat ion

s e t

o u t

l a t e r

h e r e i n .

POSITION GENERALLY OF "BRANCH" as a t 20 January

1981

(1	)BRANCH COUNCILLORS

Both

t h e

c e r t i f l e d

r u l e s

t h e

o f

Branch

t h e

organiza t lon

and

t h e

r e g i s t e r e d

r u l e s

o f

t h e

S t a t e

Unlon

then

provlded that

16.

(i)

Sect ions

may

be e s t ab l i shed w i th in t he

Branch

an sublec t

Industry

o r l o c a l l t y t o approval

b a s i s

( r . 2 1 ( a ) ) .

R u l e Sections

21(b)

provided

tha t ,

the

Branch

Councll,

may

frame

t h e l r own

r u l e s and

amend

such

ru les .

R u l e

2 1 ( d )

p rovided

tha t

the

var

lous

Sections

were

t o

e l ec t

Counc i l lo r s

and

a l t e rna te

Counc i l lo r s

required

r .15

accordance

the

ru les

o f

the

Section.

Rule 32(b) provided

that

Counci l lors

were

t o be

e lec ted

annual ly

and

ho ld

o f f i ce

un t i l

t he i r

successo r s

were

elected.

A s

a t 20

J a n u a r y

1 9 8 1

t h e r e

w e r e

Sec t ions

w l th in

t he

Branch

none

which had

any r u l e s which

had

been

c e r t i f i e d o r r e g i s t e r e d

under

e i t h e r t h e F e d e r a l

A c t

o r

t h e S t a t e

A c t

o t h e r w i s e

a d o p t e d

making

provis ions for the p rocedure for such e lec t ions .

( i i ) R u l e 14 made

p rov i s ion fo r

Branch Council

and provided

t h a t

t he P res iden t , Ass is tan t Secre ta ry

Deputy

President ,

Vlce-Presldent ,

Secretary

and

shall be

t h e o f f i c e r s

t h e

Union.

( i i i ) R u l e 15

provided

that

the

Branch

Council

shall

consist

the Off icers toge ther wi th Counci l lors e lec ted by the Sec t ions

a b a s i s members

o f

c e r t a i n number

Counc l l lo r s

fo r

t he

number

within each Section.

A s

a t 2 0

January

1981

14 Counci l lors

represented the

Sec t ions .

(2)BRANCH SECRETARY AND ASSISTANT BRANCH SECRETARY

a t 2 0

J a n u a r y

1 9 8 1

t h e

c e r t i f i e d

B r a n c h

r u l e s

p rov ided t ha t

t he Sec re t a ry

and

t h e A s s l s t a n t

S e c r e t a r y s h a l l

b e

1 7 .

e l ec t ed by t he

Branch Councll

and

s h a l l h o l d o f f i c e f o r

term of

s i x

yea r s ( r r . 24

and

2 5 ) .

But

the

ho lde r s o f bo th t hese o f f i ces a t

t h a t

d a t e

had

been

elected

February

1978,

purportedly

for

per iod

y e a r s i n

elect ion wherein any necessary bal lot

was

t o b e

p o s t a l b a l l o t

o f

t h e

w h o l e

o f

t h e

m e m b e r s h i p

o f

t h e

Branch.

This had come about

r e s u l t

o f B r a n c h

amendments

t o

b o t h

r . 2 4

and

r . 2 5

o f

t h e

B r a n c h

r u l e s

b y

t h e

C o u n c i l

I n

Janua ry

1976

w h e r e b y s u c h e l e c t i o n s w e r e

t o

b e r a n k a n d f i l e

e l e c t i o n s

i n

l i e u

o f

t h e

c o l l e g i a t e

e l e c t l o n .

The

t e rm

o f

o f f i c e h a d n o t

b e e n

amended

a t t h a t t i m e a s t h e

amendment

t o

s.133 (1) of

the

Federal

Act

t he

i n se r t ion

pa ra s .

(da )

and

(db)

d id

not

come

i n t o f o r c e u n t i l J u l y

1976.

The

sa id

amendments

adopted

January

1976

had

been

forwarded

the

Branch

Secre ta ry for

approval

the

Federal

Executive

the

usual

way

b u t a s n o

a p p r o v a l

h a d

b e e n

f o r t h c o m i n g

a t

t h a t

t i m e

t h e

amendment

had

n o t b e e n c e r t i f i e d b y

the

I n d u s t r i a l R e g i s t r a r

under s.139 South Aus t ra l ian Indus t r ia l

( 4 ) .

The amendment had i n f a c t

been

approved

t h e

Regls t ra r

and

had

become

p a r t o f t h e

r e g i s t e r e d

r u l e s

o f t h e S t a t e

Union

and

had

accordingly

been

p r in t ed

i n

t he

Branch

r u l e book.

The

procedure

for

the

rank

and

f i l e

e l e c t i o n

w a s p r o v i d e d

f o r

I n

r . 3 1 .

Such

p rocedure

made

p rov i s ion

fo r

p o s t a l

b a l l o t .

Rule

3 1

had

been

common to both

s e t s o f

r u l e s

f o r many

years ,

being the procedure provlded for

i n t h e

Branch

r u l e book

f o r

t h e

e l e c t i o n

t h e

Branch

Offlcers

(o the r

t han

t he

Sec re t a ry

and

the

Ass i s t an t

Sec re t a ry )

and

t h e

Federal

Counci l lors .

16.

(3)BRANCH

OFFICERS

(OTHER THAN SECRETARY & ASSISTANT SECRETARY)

AND

FEDERAL

COUNCILLORS

Rules

d e a l i n g w i t h t h e i r e l e c t i o n a s a t

19 January

1981

Rule 30 of

both

the

Branch

r u l e s nominat ions

and

t h e

S t a t e

Unlon

r u l e s

were

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

and

provided

that

for

e l e c t i o n

o f

t h e s e

w e r e Nominations

t o

b e

c a l l e d

n o t

l a t e r

t h a n

February

every

third

year.

had

been

called

for

the

f i l l i n g

o f t hese o f f i ces i n

1978.

Rule 31 o f

b o t h

s e t s

o f

ru l e s

made

p rov i s lon

fo r

t h e

procedure

for

such

electlon

whlch

fac ie

p rovided for

pos t a l

b a l l o t w i t h i n t h e

meaning

o f t ha t exp res s ion

i n the Federal

A c t .

A s r . 3 l ( g ) ( i v ) a n y e l e c t i o n f o r t h e s e o f f i c e s b e e n d o r s e d w l t h t h e

p r o v i d e d

( i n t e r

a l i a )

t h a t

t h e

b a l l o t

p a p e r

following

prlnted

thereon:

"This number i s for

the

purpose

prevent ing any i r regular i ty .

N o :

A l l ballot

papers

have

been

shuff led

t h a t

i d e n t i f i c a t i o n

o f

any

number

with

any person YOUR VOTE I S SECRET. I'

is impossible.

it was

contended that

any bal lot

conducted under

that

rule

would

not

s e c r e t p o s t a l b a l l o t ( s e e

s . l 3 3 ( l ) ( d )

and

s.133AA

of the

Federal

Act)(emphasis

added).

This

is d l scussed l a t e r h e r e i n .

19.

B u t

a s

a t

1 9

January

1981

r .31(a)

reg is te red

and

c e r t l f i e d

t h e

i n

r e s p e c t i v e

sets

r u l e s

o f

was

ma te r i a l ly

d i f f e r e n t .	The	c e r t i f i e d	r u l e	o f	t h e	Branch	o f	t he	o rgan iza t lon
read :

31(a ) Nominations

I n

wri t ing

s igned

t h e

candidate

and

endorsed

f i n a n c i a l

members

must

the

hands

o f t h e r e t u r n i n g o f f i c e r b y n o t l a t e r

than

3 rd

the

Monday

January"

(emphasis

added). p r o v i d e d

The s u b - r u l e a d v e r t i s e m e n t

t h e n

f o r

t h e

c a l l l n g

o f

n o m i n a t i o n s

b y

i n

da i ly

newspape r

and

fo r

b a l l o t

w h e r e

necessary.

Rule

3 1 ( a )

t h e

S t a t e

Union

r u l e s

the

o the r

hand

p r o v i d e d

t h a t

t h e

n o m i n a t i o n s

h a d

t o b e

i n

t h e h a n d s o f

t h e

Returning Off icer by the third

Monday

in February and that

where

t h e

R e t u r n i n g

O f f i c e r

f i n d s

n o m i n a t i o n

t o

d e f e c t l v e

sha l l , before concerned of the defect.

re jec t lng

the

nominat ion ,

no t i fy

the

person

Amendments

t o

s . 3 1 ( a )

a l t e r i n g

t h e

s u b - r u l e

t o

r e a d

r e g i s t e r e d I n

t h e S t a t e

Union

r u l e s

h a d

b e e n

a d o p t e d

b y

t h e

Branch Council "January" t o "February" came

January

1976.

The purpose

for

the

changing

about

a s a

r e s u l t

t h e

o f

d i f f i c u l t l e s

r e f e r r e d

t o

e a r l l e r

h e r e i n

w h i l s t

t h e

amendment

i n

r e s p e c t o f d e f e c t s i n

nomlnation

was

obvlously brought about by

the

i n se r t ion

t he

p rov i s lons

pa ra .

(c) to

S .133(1)

the

Federal

Act

In 1973.

Here

again,

the

amendment had

been

forwarded

the

Federa

Secre

for

approval

by the

Federal

Executlve.

20.

Such approval

not

being

forthcoming,

the

amendment was not

lodged

f o r c e r t i f i c a t l o n b y t h e I n d u s t r i a l R e g i s t r a r .

Accordingly it w i l l be

seen

that

the

Branch

Council

a t 20 January

1981

consisted

( a ) The

Branch

Secre ta ry and

Ass i s t an t Branch

Secre ta ry who

had

been

e lected

February

1978 for a

per iod of

s i x y e a r s a t a time when

t h e

F e d e r a l

A c t

p r o v i d e d

t h a t

t h e

maximum

term of such offices shall not exceed

yea r s

( s . l 3 3 ( 1 ) ( d b ) ) .

I n

f a c t

b o t h nommations

o f f l c e r s

had

been

elected

unopposed,

having

been

cal led

for

under

the

procedures

for

p o s t a l

b a l l o t

l a i d

down

r .31

the

then

r eg i s t e red S t a t e

Union

Rules

a p p e a r l n g i n t h e

Branch

r u l e book

a s used

t h e o f f l c i a l s

t h e

Branch

In 1978.

(b) The Branch

President,

Branch

Deputy

Pres ident ,

and

t h e Branch

Vice-President

who

h a d

b e e n

e l e c t e d

f o r

t e rm

o f

y e a r s i n

1 9 7 8 under

rr.30 and 31.

( c ) Some

Counci l lors

"elected"

1580.

These

persons

were m e a n i n g

c l ea r ly t he ho lde r s o f " an

o f f i c e "

w i t h i n

t h e

" o f f i c e "

a s

d e f i n e d

i n

s . 4 of the

Federal I n d u s t r i a l

Act. elected

B u t

none

t h e 14 Counci l lors had

been R e g i s t r a r

under

r u l e s

c e r t i f i e d

b y

t h e

which

complied

with

the

Federal

Act

reg.115 (1)

( d ) made

under

tha t Ac t .

APPOINTMENT OF RETURNING OFFICER FOR SUBJECT ELECTION

The evidence is t h a t a Mr

C r i m e s who

had

been appointed

Branch Returning

Off

icer

the

Branch

Council

some

years

before

1981 had

advised

the

Branch

Secretary

before

Christmas

1580

that

because

w a s

t a k i n g h i s v a c a t i o n I n

March e lect ion.

1 9 8 1 h e

would

unable

conduct

the 1981 t

iennial

Cff lcers

2 1 .

J anua ry

1981

t ha t

Branch

Counc l l

adop ted

resolution

a p p o l n t i n g

M r

R . D .

C larke

the

Branch

Return

ing

Off icer .

On 21 January 1981 M r Krantz as Branch Secretary

wrote

t o

M r

Clarke as fol lows:

"Mr R. D. Clarke,

15 Richman Avenue,

PROSPECT. S.A. 5082

Dear Ralph,

The Branch Council a t its mee t ing

l a s t

n i g h t

a p p o i n t e d

y o u accordance

t o

the

Branch

Returnlng

Officer

with

Rule	16( j).
R u l e	16(j) reads:-

"It shal l provided by these

appoint

the

Returnlng

Off

lcer

who s h a l l n o t of the Union."

the ho lde r

a n o f f i c e

ru l e s

no r

employee

and you a re

e l lg ib l e

fo r

appo in tmen t

i n

accordance

w i t h t h e r u l e .

The

immediate

duty

w i l l be

t o conduct

t h e

1981

e l e c t i o n

o f f i c e r s

r e q u i r e d

Branch

Rules

30 and 31,

and I a m s u r e

you

w i l l f o r t h w i t h

p u t

i n

t r a i n

t h e

steps necessa ry t o do t h i s . The Branch Counci l

a lso

directed

m e a s

S e c r e t a r y

t o

make

arrangements

for

any

a s s i s t a n c e

needed

Returning

the

Off icer

purpose

the conduc t ing t he e l ec t ion .

h i s

for

o f

With best wishes, Yours f a i t h f u l l y ,

(sicrned 1

. -

H. D. Krantz,

SECRETARY"

R u l e 16 of

t h e Branch

r u l e s

sets o u t t h e powers

and

d u t i e s

o f

t h e B r a n c h C o u n c l l .

R u l e

1 6 ( 1)

q u o t e d i n

t h e a b o v e

22.

l e t t e r

w a s

t h e n

t h e

s u b - r u l e amended pursuant

a s

r e g i s t e r e d

i n

t h e

S t a t e amendment adopted

Union

r u l e s .

It had

been

t h e Branch t he p rov i s lons

Councll

January

1976,

apparent ly

conform

w i t h

s . l 3 3 ( l ) ( b ) of

the amendment

Federal

A c t which

came

i n t o

f o r c e

i n 1973.

Here

a g a l n

t h e

was

o n e

o f

t h o s e

forwarded by the Branch Secretary

to t he Fede ra l Sec re t a ry o f t he

organization for approval by the Federal

Executive which approval

as a t 20 January

1981,

had

no t

been

for thcomlng.

Agaln , amendment

fo l lowing

t he

r eg i s t r a t ion

t he

t o r.16( j)

t h e

South Aus t ra l ian Indus t r ia l Regis t ra r

had

been

i n s e r t e d i n t h e

repr in ted

Branch

r u l e book

i n

u s e b y t h e O f f i c i a l s o f t h e

Branch.

I n f a c t o r g a n i z a t i o n

r . 1 6 (

j) o f

t h e

c e r t i f i e d

r u l e s

o f

t h e

B r a n c h

o f

t h e

a s

a t 20

J a n u a r y

1 9 8 1

p r o v i d e d

s i m p l y

t h a t

t h e

Branch

Counci l

"shal l

appoint

the

Returning

Off

icers

Audi tors

and Tyler"

Clea r ly t he ru l e s o f

t he

Branch of

the

organizat

ion as

c e r t i f i e d

u n d e r

t h e

F e d e r a l

A c t

a s

a t

January /February

1981

contravened

paras.(b)

and

s .133(1)

whlch

p rov lde

t ha t

t he

r u l e s

o f

o r g a n i z a t i o n s

i n c l u d e

c o n d i t i o n s

i n

r e s p e c t

r e t u r n i n g o f f i c e r s .

AMENDMENT TO BRANCH R.31(a) CERTIFIED 23 JANUARY 1981 RE CLOSING

DATE OF NOMINATIONS I N SUBJECT ELECTION

A s

pointed

o u t

ea r l i e r

he re in

t he

p r ln t ed

ru l e provided

book

i n

use

the

Off lc ia l s

the

Branch

i n January

1981

I n

r . 3 1 ( a s u b j e c t e l e c t i o n

)

t h a t

n o m i n a t i o n s

f o r

t h e

f i l l i n g

t h e

o f f i c e s

i n

t h e

were

t o

in the hands of the Returning Offlcer

b y t h e t h i r d

Monday

in February .

How

t h i s came

about

has

a l ready

been discussed. o rgan iza t ion a s

But

c e r t i f l e d

r u l e

3 1 ( a )

o f

t h e

Branch

the

a t

January 1981 provided that such nominations

were	t o c lose on	t h e t h i r d	Monday	in	January namely 19th	January
1981.

Follo

881

the

reg is te r

the

o rganiza t ion

he ld

the

Indus t r i a l

Reg i s t r a r

i nc ludes

S ta tu tory

Geclara t ion

the

Branch

Secre ta ry

dec la red

January

1981.

This

fol io

deals

with

t h e

amendment

t o r . 3 1 ( a )

t h e c e r t i f i e d

r u l e s of

t h e

Branch January

the o rganiza t ion . 1981 the Federal

The

said

dec la ra t ion

shows

t h a t on

Secretary of

the

organiza t ion submi t ted for

the

approva l

t h e

F e d e r a l

E x e c u t i v e

o f

t h e

o r g a n i z a t i o n ,

t h e

amendment

t o r . 31 ( a ) which

( i n t e r a l i a )

amended

the

day

for t h e

c l o s i n g

n o m i n a t i o n s

for

r e s p e c t i v e o f f i c e s

f r o m t h e

t h l r d

Monday i n amendment adopted by t h e Branch

J a n u a r y

t o

t h e

t h i r d

Monday

i n February.

This which

was

t h e

November

1975 Fede ra l

and Sec re t a ry

had

been

forwarded

the

Branch

Secretary

t he

of the Federal

o rganlza t lon

February

1976

for

the

approval

t h e

Executive.

The

amendment

was

i d e n t i c a l t o t h a t

whlch

had

been regis tered

the South Austral ian Regis t rar in January

1976

and

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

Branch

r u l e

book.

Af te r

the

amendment had

been

submltted

by the

Federal

Secre ta ry

t o

the

Federal

Execut lve

for

approval

2 0 January

4 24.

1981 t h e same

w a s formally

approved

by Registrar

that

body on 22 January

1981

and

then

lodged

with

the

Industrial

together

wlth

t h e

s a i d

S t a t u t o r y

D e c l a r a t i o n o f

t h e

B r a n c h S e c r e t a r y

o n

2 3

January 1961. amendment and advised

t h a t the Branch Secretary

d a y t h e I n d u s t r i a l

R e g i s t r a r

c e r t i f i e d t h e

accordingly

by l e t t e r

dated 23 January 1981.

NOMINATIONS OF APPLICANTS LODGED ON 1 6 JANUARY 1981

Apparently Mr Prichard and the

o the r

app l i can t s

he re in

were

aware

1 5 Janua ry

1981

t ha t

t he

ce r t i f i ed

ru l e s

t he

Branch

provided

that

nominat

ions

for

the

s u b j E c t

o f f i ces

c lo sed

on 1 9 January

1981.

By sixth-named

1 6 January

1981

each

the

applicants

o ther than

Balley,

the

applicant,

had forwarded

the Returning Off icer care of the

Unlon

Of f i ce by ce r t i f i ed

mail

c a l l e d

n o m i n a t i o n s

f o r

t h e

o f f l c e s

o f

P r e s i d e n t ,

D e p u t y

President,

Vlce-President

and Union

the

th ree

Federa l

Counci l lors

i n

the

"Federated

Clerks

Austral ia

South

Austral ian

Branch".

The

e v i d e n c e

d i s c l o s e s

t h a t

t h e s e

n o m l n a t i o n s

w e r e

received within t ime immediately pr ior to

the

Branch on Friday, 16 January

1981.

A t

January 1981 had nominations for the

said

of f ices been ca l led for

Branch

Returning Officer.

On 21 January

1981

P r i c h a r d

w r o t e

t o

t h e

B r a n c h

Secretary as

fol

lows:-

25.

“Dear S l r ,

As you would b e aware, nominations

for

t h e P re s iden t , Deputy-President,

pos l t i ons Vice-President

o f

and

th ree

Federa l

Counci l lors

the

o f Branch

Federated

Clerks‘

Unlon

Aus t ra l i a

South

Australian

were

cal led under l a t e r t h a n t h e 5 t h J a n u a r y t h l s y e a r

the

S.A.

Branch r u l e s

n o t

and

c l o s e d

l a t e r

t h a n

t h e

t h i r d

Monday

i n January 1981.

I a long w i th nominations

5 i n by ce r t i f i ed ma i l

o t h e r members

s e n t o u r

the

15th

January

pos

ted

a t

p.m.,

t o

b o t h

r e g i s t e r e d

o f f i c e s .

f e e l

t h a t

t h i s

a l lowed r easonab le

t i m e

for

t h e v a l i d

nominations

t o

a r r i v e

b e f o r e

t h e

c l o s e

o f n o m i n a t i o n s o n t h e t h i r d

Monday

January

t h i s y e a r i . e . 1 9 t h .

As a consequence, w e would seek	your
co-operation in the following;

(i)

A t t h e

c lose

Monday

t h e 1 9 t h

January 1981, nominations beside

were

there P r e s i d e n t ,

any

other

own

and t h a t o f

M . K n i g h t Vice-President

f o r

Miss

H i b b e r t

f o r

Deputy-President,

myself M r Robertson.

for

with

Higgins,

Mrs

Myers

Federa l

for

Councillors? ( i 1 ) I f n o t

w e

a r e (unopposed)

l e d

t o

b e l i e v e

t h a t we

the

e lec ted

new

S.A.

Branch executive

would

r e s p e c t f u l l y

reques t you

cons ider

a l lowing

u s

t o

u s e

t h e

c o n f e r e n c e

room

f o r

o u r

n e x t

m e e t i n g

o f

t h e

new

e x e c u t i v e

o f

t h e

South

Australian

Branch

t h e

Federat

ion af

ter

the

26th January.

a p p r e c i a t e t h a t

you

have

permit

ted

o the r

Unions

t o u s e

t h e f a c l l i t i e s t h e r e

and

consequence,

w i t h r e s p e c t

make

o u r reques t

i n t h a t l i g h t .

I n add i t ion , t h a t you have

w e

a l s o a p p r e c i a t e t h e f a c t

your

own

s t a t e r e g l s t e r e d

u n i o n e l e c t i o n s

i n

F e b r u a r y t h l s

y e a r

and therefore the conference

room may be

i n u s e . I f happy with a smilar a rea .

so, we would be o n l y

t o o

F i n a l l y

a s

cour tesy

you ,

26.

r e s p e c t f u l l y a d v i s e t h a t

have no t i f ied

the Federal

Registrar of our nomlnatlons

under

the

Rules

of F e d e r a t i o n .

the

South

Australlan

B r a n c h

o f

t h e

F u r t h e r ,

also have c o p i e s

t o

avoid

confusion,

sent

o f

t h i s

l e t t e r

t o

a l l

o t h e r

o f f i c e r s

and

counc i l lo r s .

I also have Pres ident and Secre ta ry .

because

w e

a r e

branch Fede ra l

the Federa l no t un reasonab le t o do t h i s .

Body,

no t i f i ed

t he

We	thought it

Yours ( s igned)

f r a t e r n a l l y ,

Michael A .

Prichard .

On 4 February

1981

the

Branch

Secretary

forwarded

memo

t o t h e

Branch

Returning Off icer as fol lows

"To : BRANCH RETURNING OFFICER

Dear Mr Clarke,

You will

r e c a l l

t h a t

t h e

Branch

Council

appointed you Returning

Officer

a t

i t s

meeting

on subsequent

the

20th

J a n u a r y l a s t

and

on the writing of your appointment.

day

I informed you i n

F r iday

16 th

J anua ry ,

s igned

two

A.R.

c e r t i f i ed

ma i l

add res sed

follows :

( a )

The

Returning

Officer

Federated Clerks '	Union	of
Aus t r a l i a

South Australian

Branch

c/-

1 2 Regent

S t r e e t ,

ADELAIDE,

S.A.

5000

(b)

The Returning

Officer

Federated	Clerks '	Union of
Aus t r a l i a

South

Australlan Building

Branch

c/- Relds King William Street ,

ADELAIDE,

S . A .

5000

27.

Eoth envelopes contained what purport

be nominatlons

election

for

o f f i c e r s p o s i t l o n s designated

i n

which

a r e

In	the nominations.

In accordance taken

wlth

the

r u l e s ,

you

have

the nominations which close on the 16th inst

proper

steps

t o

c a l l

f o r

and

r e f e r

t h e

above

mentioned

documents t o you

f o r your

a t t e n t i o n .

You

w l l l

r e c a l l

t h a t

t h e

Branch

E x e c u t i v e

a u t h o r i s e d

t o

g i v e

such ass i s tance as

you

need

t o c a r r y o u t

y o u r

d u t i e s

a n d

i f

y o u

c o n s i d e r

y o u

would

des i re Counse l ' s

advice ,

I be l i eve

you

should

speak

t o

Paul

Heywood-Smith	who	1 s	t h e	Union' S
adviser .

( s igned)

HDK 4/2/81"

RELEVANT

STEPS

TAKEN

I N SUBJECT ELECTION

20 January 1981

Branch Council Returning

appoints

Clarke

Officer

(see

above).

22 January 1981

Returning

Off icer

not i f ied

Sect ion

s e c r e t a r i e s

a n d B r a n c h C o u n c i l l o r s

b y

l e t te r of of adver t i sement he in tended to p lace in

t h e e l e c t i o n

and

enclosed copy

the "Advert iser"

Saturday

January.

24 January 1981

Nominations

called

for

i n

" A d v e r t l s e r "

o f

2 4

J a n u a r y .

Such

advertisement i s headed:

"Federated Clerks

Union

of Austral la

South

Australian

Branch"

T h e r e a f t e r

i s s e t

o u t

t h e

r e s p e c t i v e

o f f i c e s ,

the

f a c t

t h a t o n l y f i n a n c i a l

members

o f t w e l v e

months

s tanding

may

nominate and endorsement by two financial

that

nominat ions

required

members

and

t h a t t h e

same

had

to be

i n

hands

the Returning 5 p .m. on 16 February

Off

icer

not

la ter

than

1981.

The

t h l r d

Monday i n February	1981	was	1 6 February
19e1 .

4 28.

6 February 1981

The

R e t u r n i n g O f f i c e r

w r i t e s

t o

t h e

p e r s o n s ,

o f

whom

a r e t h e a p p l i c a n t s

h e r e i n ,

who

had

lodged

the

c a l l e d

nominations

with

"the

Returnlng

Officer"

1 6 J a n u a r y

1 9 8 1

r e f e r r e d

t o

above,

forming

them tha

had

passed

o n t o

him

t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e n o m i n a t i o n s

and

poin t ing

o u t

t o

them

t h a t

t h e

documents were c a l l i n g o f n o m i n a t i o n s a n d r e q u e s t i n g

d a t e d

p r i o r

t h e

t o

confirmation

that

each

Intended a d v e r t i s e d

nominate

i n

t h e

e l e c t i o n

f o r

t h e r e s p e c t i v e o f f i c e s r e f e r r e d	t o	i n
t h e i r documents.

February

1981

The

R e t u r n i n g O f f i c e r

n e x t

hears

f rom

those 6 persons on 16 February 1981

when

each

them lodges a nomination

for a

p a r t i c u l a r

o f f i c e

mentioned

i n

t h e

b u t

s t i p u l a t i n g

' t h e r e i n

tha t

nominat ion

the

was

f o r

t h a t

p a r t i c u l a r

o f f i c e

i n

S t a t e

t h e

Registered

Union.

I n

addi t ion

each

p e r s o n

s e n d s

similar

l e t t e r s d a t e d 1 6

February

1981

t o hlm.

A copy

such

n o m i n a t i o n a n d

l e t t e r

f o r w a r d e d b y

Prichard reads :

"The Returning Officer" ,

Mr R. Clarke,

Federated

Clerks'

UnIon

Aus t ra l ia

(S ta te

reg .

lon)

12,

Regent

S t r e e t ,

ADELAIDE,

S.A.

5000

Dear Re:Nominations

S i r ,

f o r t h e

1981

e l e c t i o n s

i n t h e S t a t e

Registered

Union

f o r t h e

pos i t ions o f

PRESIDENT,

DEPUTY-PRESIDENT,

VICE-PRESIDENT,

SECRETARY and ASSISTANT SECRETARY

I , Mlchael nominate i n accordance

Anthony

Prichard

hereby

with

r u l e

t h e r u l e s , President .

f o r

t h e

p o s i t i o n

o f

D e p u t y

Signed

. .

. . . . .

2 9 .

We.. ...

and

.....

being

f lnanc ia l

members of the

Federated

Clerks '

Union

South

Australian

Branch

s t a t e

regis tered

union

endorse

the

nomination

Mlchael

Prichard

accordance with rule

o f t h e

r u l e s

f o r

t he pos i t i on e l e c t i o n s f o r t h e O f f i c e r s o f t h e

o f

Deputy

P r e s i d e n t

i n

t h e

Union.

Signed ........ .

Signed

........ .

The

l e t t e r

dated

1 6 February reads:

"The	Returning Officer,

Clarke, A u s t r a l i a ( S t a t e r e g .

Union

of Union)

Mr R. Federated Clerks '

1 2 ,

Regent

S t ree t ,

ADELAIDE.

S.A.

5000

Dear

S i r ,

Please

advised that the nominat ion by

me f o r t h e p o s i t i o n the FEDERATED

Vice-President in

CLERKS'

U N I O N

AUSTRALIA

South

Australian

Branch,

was

i n

accordance

with

the

r e g i s t e r e d

r u l e s

t h e

South

Australian

Branch

and

cor rec t

va l id t h i r d

nominat ion

they

losed

o n t h e 5.00 pm.,

Monday

i n JANUARY,

i . e .

the

19 th .

81.

Five other

nominat ions plus

own

were

received

a t

t h e

Union

o f f i c e

o n

o r

around

the

16th JANUARY

81 s e n t i n b y

c e r t i f i e d m a i l .	T h e	nominat ions	were
unopposed!

I a n d been elected unopposed t o t h e

t h e

f i v e

o t h e r s

t h e r e f o r e

h a v e p o s i t i o n s

PRESIDENT,

Deputy-President,

V i c e - P r e s i d e n t ,

a n d

t h e

t h r e e

F e d e r a l

Counci l lors

t h e

FEDERATED

CLERKS'

UNION OF AUSTRALIA South

Australian

Branch.

The

f a c t

t h a t

the

Federal

Reg i s t r a r

r eg l s t e red

new

r u l e

i n

r e spec t

t o

nomina t ions

fo r

t he

Union

the 23rd e f f e c t u n t i l t h e

JANUARY 81, does not

have

any

1984

Branch

e lec t ions .

We	a re t he re fo re e l ec t ed un t i l Feb rua ry ,

Elec tora l

Off ice .

A t

p.426

Northrop

s t a t e d :

“ T h e a p p l i c a n t s i r r e g u l a r i t i e s

a r e

a l l e g i n g

a n y

a r l s l n g

from

t h e

f a c t

t h a t

t h e

r e t u r n i n g

o f f i c e r

a p p l l e d

t h e

f lrst

paragraph

branch

only

55.

r . 4 ( q u a l i f i c a t i o n

for

o f f l c e ) .

They

a r e

n o t a t t a c k i n g t h e v a l i d i t y o f a n y o f t h e

r u l e s

o f

t h e

u n i o n .

They

a r e

s a y i n g

tha t

they

accepted

the

advice

iven

t h e

r e t u r n i n g

o f f i c e r

and

t h e r e f o r e

d id

not

nominate

f o r o f f i c e .

r e t u r n l n g o f f i c e r

i s

not authorized by

t h e

A c t

t o

g i v e

a d v i c e ,

h i s

d u t y

i s

t o

conduct

the

e l e c t i o n s

I n

accordance wlth

t h e exercise of t h e powers

r u l e s

o f

t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n , complemented

when

necessary conferred

the

s.170A

o f the A c t .

The A c t e n a b l e s a

member

o f

a n o r g a n i z a t i o n

t o a p p l y t o

t h e cour t

for

rder contravenes

dec la r ing

tha t

r u l e

o f

organizat ion

S . 1 4 0 ( 1 )

the

A c t .

A p a r t a l t o g e t h e r

from any under s.140 of

proceedings

or orders made

the

A c t ,

a n

i r r e g u l a r i t y

i n o r occurs

i n upon a r u l e which

c o n n e x i o n

w i t h contravenes

a n

e l e c t i o n

when

r e t u r n i n g

o f f i c e r

re l ies

S . l40 (1)

t h e A c t .

I n

inquiry

under

P t I X

t h e A c t an appl icant

i s f ree t o c a l l

evidence

and

make submiss ions t o show

t h a t

r u l e

r e l i e d

upon

r e tu rn ing

off icer contravened occurred i n Love11 -v- Federated

s .140(1)

the

A c t

a t	t h e	t i m e it w a s r e l i ed upon.	This
Liquor

and

Allied Indus t r i e s Employees'

Union

Austral ia"(1978)

35 F.L.R.

72.

Again a t p.427

"A member for himself

of an organlzat ion

m u s t

decide

whether

t o

nominate

f o r

o f f i c e

n o t .

H e

m u s t

l o o k n o m i n a t e ,

t o

t h e

ru l e s

o rgan iza t ion .

t he

o f c o n s i d e r s

h e

i s

e l i g i b l e

t o

a n d h e d e s l r e s

t o

nominate ,

should

nominate i r respect ive of any expressions

of opinion by

r e tu rn ing o f f i ce r o r any

person.

other

The

re turn lng

o f f i c e r

t h e r e a f t e r

1s under

d u t y t o

accep t

o r

r e ~ e c t the

nomlnat ion

accordance

w i t h

t h e

r u l e s

t h e

o f

Organization.

The ac t lon

re turn lng

o f f i c e r i n e i t h e r a c c e p t i n g o r r e ~ e c t i n g the nomlnation provides a foundation for

inquiry

under

P t I X o f

t h e

A c t .

I f

56.

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

r e t u r n i n g o f f i c e r

r e l i e d upon

t h e wrong

r u l e , o r

upon

r u l e whlch

was

cont ra ry t o S .l40

(1) of

t h e

A c t ,

t h e

c o u r t

may

conclude

that

i r r egu la r i ty

has

occu r red .

The rea f t e r

t h e court has wide powers

t o make

o rde r s

r e c t i f y i n g t h e i r r e g u l a r i t y ,	s.165	o f
t h e A c t . "

His

Honour had

s t a t e d a t pp .424-5:

"The

word

" i r r e s u l a r i t v "

1 s

defined

the

Shor te r

OxfLrd

Di&lonary(

23rd

ed.

1972

r e p r i n t )

a s

" t h e

q u a l i t y

s t a t e

o f b e i n g i r r e g u l a r " .

i r r e g u l a r ;

s o m e t h i n g

t h a t

i s

I n

t h e

same c o n f o r m i t y

d i c t i o n a r y ,

t h e

word

" i r r e g u l a r "

1 s

d e f i n e d

i n

r e l a t i o n

t o t h i n g s r u l e o r

a s

" n o t p r i n c i p l e ,

I n

w i t h

c o n t r a r y

t o

r u l e ;

d i s o r d e r l y

a c t i o n

c o n d u c t ,

i n

o r

anomalous,

abnormal"

. I n

t h e

A c t ,

.4 ,

except

where

otherwise

c lear ly

i n t e n d e d ,

t h e

word

" i r r e g u l a r i t y "

h a s

the fo l lowing

meaning :

" ' I r r e g u l a r i t y ' ,

i n r e l a t i o n

t o

a n e l e c t i o n o r b a l l o t ,

i n c l u d e s

b r e a c h o f

t h e r u l e s o f

a n

o rgan iza t ion

o r

branch

organiza t ion ,

and

any

ac t ,

omiss ion

o t h e r means

whereby

t h e f u l l

and

f ree

record lng

vo tes

a l l

persons

e n t i t l e d

t o

r e c o r d

v o t e s ,

a n d

b y

n o

persons , ascertainment

o ther

c o r r e c t

dec la ra t ion

t he

o f

r e s u l t s

the

vot ing

is,

o r

i s

attempted

to be

prevented or hindered."

This

provis ion

give

does

not

d e f i n i t i v e

meaning

t o

the

word

" i r r e g u l a r l t y "

b u t

extends

the

meaning,

necessa ry . matters.

i f

i nc lude

t o

spec i f l c

the

p resent

case,

t h e

f a c t s

assumed

for

the purpose of

submission

the

p re l imina ry

I s sue

canno s t a t u t o r y

cons t i t u t e

a n

i r r e g u l a r i t y

w i t h i n

t h e

ex tended

m e a n i n g o f

t h a t

word.

There

has

been

breach i t s Tasmanian

the

r u l e s

o f

t he

u n i o n

o r

branch.

There

has

been

ac t o r omis s ion

whereby

t h e

f u l l and pe r sons en t i t l ed t o r eco rd vo te s ,

f r e e r e c o r d i n g o f v o t e s b y a l l

and

o the r

pe r sons ,

o r

c o r r e c t

ascer ta inment

dec la ra t ion

o r

the

57.

results of

voting

is , o r 1s a t tempted to

hindered."

be,

prevented or

B u t

i n

R e

A u s t r a l i a n

Pos ta l

and

Telecommunications

Union; Ex parte

Wilson,

(1979)

2 8 A.L.R.

330 Sheppard J.

i n h i s

reasons for pp.335-336 stated:

judgment

handed

down on 2 0 December 1979 a t

"The open

l e t t e r w a s produced with

money

provided from union

funds.

That

i s so,

a t l e a s t t o

the

e x t e n t o f

$998,

which

was

t h e cost o f

p r i n t i n g

it.

There may

be a fo r ma i l ing

q u e s t i o n a s t o t h e

amounts

incurred

and

pos tage , bear ing in

mind

t h a t the despatched with a union newsle t te r .

offending

document

was

d o n although

n e e d

t o

dec ide

t h a t

q u e s t i o n ,

i n c l i n e d t o

the

v iew tha t

t h e whole improperly incurred.

the

expenditure

was

f o l l o w s

t h e r e

t h a t

w a s

i r r e g u l a r i t y .

The

sending

t h e

o f

c i r c u l a r

w a s

b r e a c h

o f

a n

i m p l i e d

provis ion of the

union

r u l e s .

But it i s

necessar y

t o determine

whether

the

i r r e g u l a r i t y

w a s Act(emphasis

a n

l r r e g u l a r l t y

w i t h i n

t h e meaning

the

added).

Unless

w a s ,

t h e

j u r i s d i c t i o n

v e s t e d

i n t h i s c o u r t

s .165

the

A c t

does

a r i s e .

n o t

The

expression

" i r r e g u l a r i t y "

i s

de f ined In

s.4

o f t h e

A c t

as fol lows :-

" ' I r r e g u l a r i t y ' ,

i n

r e l a t i o n

t o

a n

e l e c t i o n

b a l l o t , i n c l u d e s

breach of

t h e r u l e s of

a n

o r g a n i z a t i o n o r

o f

branch of an organization, and any a c t , omission or o t h e r means whereby the f u l l

and

f ree

record ing

v o t e s

b y

a l l

pe r sons en t i t l ed

t o

record votes ,

and by

o the r

pe r sons ,

o r

c o r r e c t

ascertainment

d e c l a r a t i o n

o f

the

r e s u l t s

t h e

v o t i n g

o r

i s ,

i s

attempted

t o be,

prevented or hlndered."

The

defini t ion,

reason

the

u s e

t h e word

" inc ludes" , may

not be

exhaust ive

one,

but

i s

d i f f i c u l t

t o

th ink

any

ther

type

i r regular i ty

t h a t

would

n o t b e w i t h i n t h e d e f i n i t i o n .

The

w o r d s

" a n y

a c t ,

o m i s s i o n

o t h e r

means''

a r e v e r y

w i d e ,

n o t w i t h s t a n d i n g

t h e y

a r e

q u a l i f i e d

t h e

w o r d s

t h a t

fo l low

them.

submiss ion was made

based

the

f a c t t h a t t h e d e f i n i t l o n

was

i nc lus ive

one

and

p u t

t h a t

matter

a s ide .

There

t h e n t h e q u e s t i o n

whether

t h e words

ccmmencing

wi th

t he

word

" w h e r e b y "

q u a l i f y

n o t

o n l y

the

words

"any

act

omission

other

means",

but

a l s o the

e a r l i e r words

reach

the

r u l e s

o f an o rgan iza t ion o r

branch

of an organizat ion".

I n my op in ion , the words commencing with

t he

better view i s t h a t

the

word

"whereby"

q u a l i f y

t h e r e f e r e n c e

t o

b r e a c h of

r u l e s ,

a s w e l l as the words

"any

ac t ,

omiss ion p resence

o ther

means".

reaching

tha t

conc lus ion ,

have

taken

in to

account

the

c o m a

a f t e r

the

words

"branch

organizat ion".

But

i r r e g u l a r i t y

t h e

which

being

defined

i s

i r r e g u l a r i t y " i n

re la t ion

t o an

e l e c t i o n

ox b a l l o t " . l e g i s l a t u r e

seems

u n l i k e l y organizat ion

t h a t

t h e

would

have intended that any

breach

the

r u l e s

whatsoever

would

have been suf f lc ien t

t o

the

warrant

c o u r t

exerc is ing

jur i sd ic t ion

under

s.165.

The

p o s i t i o n

may

h a v e

b e e n

d l f f e r e n t

t h e

i f

de f in i t i on

had

de f lned

i r r egu la r i ty

a s a breach of h o l d i n g o f a n e l e c t i o n o r b a l l o t , b u t

r u l e i n r e l a t i o n

the

t h a t is not the

way

it reads.

f o l l o w s

t h a t

f o r

b r e a c h

o f

t h e

r u l e s

the

o r g a n i z a t i o n

t o

a n

i r r e g u l a r l t y f o r

the

purposes

of which

s.165,

t h e b r e a c h prevented

m u s t

have

been

one f u l l and

hindered

the

f r e e

recording votes e n t i t l e d t o r e c o r d v o t e s

persons

a l l

and by

o t h e r

p e r s o n s .

The

b a l a n c e of

the

words

o f

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

In my

opinion,

the

breach

t h e

r u l e s

which

has

here

occurred i s n o t

o f

t h a t

kind .

59.

N o

re ference

was

made

I n t h i s c a s e t o H u x t a b l e ' s

case.

Counsel

for

the

appl

icants

hereln

and D r Jessup who

appeared

for

the organizat ion have both asked the

C o u r t

no t t o fo l low

W i l s o n ' s

case,

a rgu ing

t ha t ,

on the

roper

cons t ruc t ion

t h e d e f i n i t i o n

o f " I r r e g u l a r i t y " "whereby the f u l l and free recording of votes . . . .

set

o u t

i n

s . 4

the

Federa l

A c t ,

t he

rase

. i s hindered"

govern

only

the words

"any act ,

omiss ion or o ther

means"

and

n o t

"a breach of

the

r u l e s " .

r e c e n t

i n q u i r y

i n t o

a n

e l e c t i o n Branch,

i n

the

Federated

Clerks Union of Australia,

Victorian

Ex down on 24 May

p a r t e

Rayner,

Northrop J.

i n

h i s

r e a s o n s

f o r

judgment

handed

, ,

1983

(unrepor ted) had

t o occurred

c o n s i d e r ( i n t e r

a l i a )

t h e

q u e s t i o n

whether

irregularity

had

connexion

with

e l ec t ion

fo r

t he

o f f i ces

S t a t e

Confe

rence

de l ega te

and

State

Counci l lor

respec t ive ly

o f

tha t

Branch .

The

e l e c t i o n

had

been

conduc ted

unde r

un reg i s t e red

or off ic ia ls

u n c e r t i f l e d

r u l e s .

I t

w a s

contended

Counsel

represent ing

the

t h e

Branch

t h a t

t h e e l e c t i o n

had been conducted under

unregistered

rules

there could

" i r r e g u l a r l t y "

def ined in

s . 4

of the Federal

_ .

A c t a s t h e words

" t h e r u l e s o f

B r a n c h

o r g a n i z a t i o n "

there in

appear lng

mean

"the r u l e s of

Branch

a s

r e g i s t e r e d

c e r t i f i e d

under

t h e

A c t " .

H i s

Honour

a t p . 5 o f h i s r e a s o n s f o r

j u d g m e n t ,

h a v i n g

i n d i c a t e d

t h a t

t h e r e

was

f o r c e

i n

s u c h

content ion, stated: "but it does

not

conclude m e a n i n g

the

mat

ter

s ince

t h e d e f i n i t i o n " i r r e g u l a r i t y " .

n o t

d e f i n i t i v e

t h e

word

r e f e r

t o and

adhe re

t o

wha t

was

said

I n

60.

Huxtable 's

case

(supra.)

pp.424-5".

A t p.6 of those

reasons

H i s Honour

con t inues :

f ac t ,

d i f f i c u l t t o

see

g r e a t e r

i r r egu la r i ty ,

w i th in

t he o rd ina ry

meaning

t h a t

word,

i n o r i n

connexion

with

lect

ion

a branch

than

where

t h a t e l e c t i o n

is conducted pursuant

to unregis tered

r u l e s " .

In the present

inqui ry

I f ind it unnecessary t o make a

de f in i t i ve

de t e rmina t ion

a s

t o

t he

p rope r

cons t ruc t lon

o f

t he

d e f i n i t i o n of

" i r r e g u l a r i t y " i n

s.4

the

Federal

A c t .

But

when

considering

i ts proper

construct ion

i s e s s e n t i a l , I n

view,

t h a t

o n e

s h o u l d

b e a r

i n

m i n d

t h e

h i s t o r y

P a r t

I X

o f

t h e

Federal

A c t which

was

introduced

together

wlth

the

said

d e f i n i t i o n

s s . 4

a n d

A c t No.20

o f

1 9 4 9

a n d

t h a t

t h e

p rov i s ions o f t ha t Pa r t

were

"intended

cumulative

upon

and

i n

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

f o r " t h e p r o v i s i o n s c o n t a i n e d i n

s . 1 4 1

o f

t h e

A c t .

T h i s

h i s t o r y

a n d

i t s

e f f e c t

g e n e r a l l y

i s

d iscussed

The Queen -v-

Spice r ; Ex par te

Foster ,

(1956)

100

C.L.R. 163. See also Walkerden -v- Giles, (1969)

15 F.L.R.

207 @

212.

Further it i s important t o k e e p

i n

mind

t h a t

t h e

power o f

t h e C o u r t e l e c t i o n "

u n d e r

s . 1 6 5

t o

make

o r d e r s

e x t e n d s n o t

o n l y

t o

" a n

b u t

a l s o

" t o a n y

s t e p

i n

o r

i n

connex ion

e l ec t ion" .

Such

s t e p would

Include

the

acceptance

r e t u r n i n g

o f f i c e r o rgan iza t ion ,

o f

nomination

where,

contrary

t o

r u l e

t he

pa r t i cu la r

one

nominators

the

was

un f inanc la l .

Cou ld

i t be

s a i d

t h a t

t h e

a c c e p t a n c e

s u c h

nomination

"prevented

hindered

the

full

and

f ree

record ing

vo te s

o f

members

e n t i t l e d

t o

v o t e "

o r

t h a t

the

"co r rec t

61.

a s c e r t a i n m e n t

o f

t h e

r e s u l t s

o f

t h e

v o t i n g

w a s

p r e v e n t e d

O r

h inde red"?

Aga

t he

same

q u e s t i o n s

m i g h t

asked

where

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

time

otherwise

than

tha t

p rov ided

fo r

i n

t he

r u l e s

o f

the

o rganiza t ion .

L ikewlse

c o n s l d e r a t i o n s h o u l d be g i v e n t o t h e p r o v i s i o n s of s . 1 6 5 ( 4 ) , sub-ss.(6) and ( 7 ) of s.141 and s .17OA and i ts precursor s.96M,

the p rovis ions

which were considered by the

High Court i n 1951

and

1953

Federa

ted

I ronworkers

-v-

Commonwealth

( 1 9 5 1 )

C.L.R.

265 @ 281-2 and 283 and The Queen -v-

Court of

Conci l ia t lon

and

Arb i t r a t ion , of the Regulations made under

p a r t e

A.E.U.

(1953)

8 9

C.L.R.

636

646

(reg.146AS

the

Federal

A c t may

a l s o be

r e l e v a n t ) .

I am firmly

the

view e l e c t i o n

that

the

endorsement

the

b a l l o t papers

i n

t h i s

was organization

c l e a r

b r e a c h

t h e

c e r t i f i e d

r u l e s

o f

t h e

Branch

the

which

c o u l d

have

prevented

or hindered

the

f u l l and

f ree

record ing

tes

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

t o

r e c o r d

t h e i r

v o t e s .

The

Court

understands

w a s

done	i n t h i s

case w a s

p r a c t i c e which

prevai led

many

yea r s

ago

i n

t he

ru l e s

severa l

o rganiza t ions .

The

C o u r t

unde r s t ands

t ha t

t he

r a t iona le

fo r

such numbering

r u l e was

t o prevent

forger ies .

Prima

f a c l e ,

i n my view,

the

ba l lo t

pape r s

i n

any f a sh ion

would

r e s u l t

i n a

b a l l o t b e i n g n o t

s e c r e t b a l l o t .

I n

Cameron

-v-

Australian	Workers'	Union,	(1959) 2 F.L.R. 45 @ p.64	Spicer	C . J .
s t a t e d :

62.

"Here w e are

concerned

with

the

meaning

t o

be given to the

words

" s e c r e t b a l l o t "

I n a

Commonwealth A c t of

1951 appl icable

i n e l e c t i o n s organizat ions

r e l a t i o n

t o

i n

under

the Conci l ia t ion

and

Arbl t ra t ion A c t .

I th ink

these

words

contempla te

b a l l o t i n which

nothing

w i l l appear on the

ba l lo t

paper

capable

i den t i fy ing t he vo te r o the r t han

what

h e p u t s voting.

t h e r e

h i m s e l f

i n

t h e

a c t

o f

The

degree t o which

t h e

prac t ice

o f

a t tach ing

v o t e r ' s

number

t o a

b a l l o t p a p e r

i n a

u n i o n e l e c t i o n

may

operate

t o

destroy

secrecy

i s

g rea t e r t han e l ec t ion .

i n

Parliamentary

The

e l e c t o r a t e

i s

much

smaller and t h e chance of the

number of

t h e v o t e r b e i n g

known

o r

hls

i d e n t i t y

ascer ta ined from it by

persons

who

may

see t h e g r e a t e r moment

b a l l o t

p a p e r s

i s ,

t h i n k ,

o f

than

i n a

Parliamentary

e l ec t ion . "

t h a t a t t a c h

c a s e

ru le

rovided

tha t

on vot ing a member

was

r e q u i r e d

t o

h i s

b a l l o t

p a p e r

a n

a p p r o p r i a t e l y

lettered

v o t i n g

s l i p

which

i n

e f f e c t

proved

tha t

was

f inanc ia l .

A t p.75

Dunphy

sa id :

"Gne r e s u l t of

t h i s system i s obvious -

anyone

s u f f i c i e n t l y

i n t e r e s t e d

c o u l d

obta in any member' S union card

and then,

through a scrutineer or even a returning

o f f i c e r ,

a s c e r t a i n member concerned .

d e t a i l s

o f

t h e i d e n t i t y

v o t e

c a s t

t h e

I t was

s a i d

i n

e v i d e n c e

t h a t

t h e

o f

voters with

t h e i r ba l lo t pape r s

had

been

ascer ta ined

i n the

pas t sheet ing

i n

t h i s

manner

for

the

purposes

home

ce r t a in f r audu len t

e l e c t o r a l p r a c t i c e s .

There i s no doub t

t ha t

t h i s

system

has

cer ta adminis t ra t ion

mater

advantages to

the union

and

t h e r e

i s equal ly

d o u b t t h a t

m i l i t a t e s v e r y s t r o n g l y

aga ins t

t he

p r inc ip l e

of h i s to ry

" s e c r e t "

b a l l o t .

Whatever may

be "secret"

t he

t h e

d e v e l o p e n t

o f

t h e

b a l l o t

w e

a r e

h e r e

d e a l i n g

w l t h

t h e

modern

" s e c r e t "

s t a t u t e

t h e

f o r requirements

b a l l o t

were

f i r s t

i n s e r t e d

i n the

A c t

a s l a t e a s

1951.

b a l l o t

conducted

63.

under

the foregoing system

i s n o t , I n

op in lon , " secre t"

r e spec t fu l ly

ag ree

w i th

t hese

obse rva t ions .

The

p r a c t i c e

n u m b e r i n g b a l l o t

p a p e r s

was

d o n e i n t h l s c a s e

should

cease.

In my view

any

such

numbering

b a l l o t

p a p e r s

would

mean

t h a t a n y b a l l o t r e q u i r e d i n

p a r t i c u l a r e l e c t i o n

wou ld

not be

" sec re t ballot" wl th in t he

meanlng

s . l 3 3 ( l ) ( d )

a n

e l e c t i o n

" s e c r e t

p o s t a l

b a l l o t "

w l t h i n

t h e

meaning

S .133AA of

the

Federal

Act.

i s

not

t o

t h e

p o i n t ,

as was

t h e

c a s e i n t h e s u b j e c t e l e c t i o n , t h a t

record

was number on

k e p t b y t h e

Returning

Off

icer

those

a s s i s t i n g

him

the

b a l l o t p a p e r s e n t t o

p a r t i c u l a r v o t e r o r t h a t t h e b a l l o t p a p e r s

had in forwarding t o members.

fac t

been

shuf f led

before

lng

laced

enve lopes

for

Accordingly

the

C o u r t

d e c l a r e s

t h a t

a n

i r r e g u l a r i t y

wi th in t he

meaning

s.165

h a s o c c u r r e d i n t h e s u b ~ e c t e l e c t i o n

with

the

consequence

that

the

provis ions

sub-s.(4)

o f

t h a t

s ec t ion

mus t

considered.

Here

the

C o u r t ,

i n

a l l

t h e

c i r c u m s t a n c e s ,

i s

o f t h e o p i n i o n t h a t

t h e r e s u l t

o f

t h e

said

e l e c t i o n

may

have been a f fec ted by the sa id i r regular i ty .

Add i t iona l ly ,

a s

t he

ce r t i f i ed

ru l e s

unde r

which

t h i s

e l e c t i o n w a s t o be

conducted included

r u l e making

t h e numbering

o f t h e b a l l o t p a p e r s i n t h e

way

described

mandatory,

it followed

t h a t when o r g a n i z a t i o n d i d n o t

t h e e l e c t i o n

commenced

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

Branch

o f t h e

t h e n p r o v i d e f o r

secret

p o s t a l b a l l o t

w i th ln t he

meaning

s. l33AA(2) of the Federal Act (see

also

t h e

64.

d e f i n i t i o n

o f

" e l e c t i o n "

i n Fede ra l

r e g .

1 4 6 A A

i n

P a r t

VAA

o f

t h e

R e g u l a t l o n s

made

unde r

t he

A c t ) .

T h i s

b e i n g

so, t h e

subject

e lect ion

should

then

have

been

conducted

under

and

i n

accordance

with

the

regulat ions

set

o u t

I n

P a r t

VAA.

The

a p p l i c a n t s

i n

t h i s

i n q u i r y

h a v e Re tu rn ing

made

c e r t a i n conduc t

a l l e g a t i o n s

i n

r e spec t

t he

f a i lu re

t he

Of f i ce r p rov i s ions

t o

t he

sa id

e l ec t ion

i n

acco rdance

t he

c e r t a i n

o f

those

regulat ions.

view

the

Court ' S

d e c l a r a t i o n

t h a t

a n

i r r egu la r i ty

has

occu r red

i s

i n

a l l

t h e

c i r c u m s t a n c e s

unnecessary

t o

make

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

Fu r the r ,

t he

C o u r t

does

not

f ind

i t

n e c e s s a r y

t o

make

any

observa

ions

respec t

t he a l l ega t ions by

the

app l l can t s

tha t the C o u r t r e p e a t s what was

Return

ing

Off icer

was said i n Lyons &

biased

o r

no t

impar t i a l .

But

t h e

O r s .

-v-

Deegan &

Ors,

(1978) 35 F.L.R.

430 @ pp.442-3:

"We consider it p l a i n t h a t

there

du ty

t h e p a r t

o f

Returning

Officer

pursuant

t o

r u l e s

s u c h a s

r . 2 1

a n d i n d e e d i n a l l

c a s e s i n w h i c h

f r e e v o t e o f

members

i s

sought

for

the purpose o f ascer ta in ing the op in ion of

members,

tha t the Return ing

Offlcer

should consider himself as an

o f f i c i a l a t

arm' S

l ength

from

those members

t he o rgan iza t lon

having any t h a t , i n a l l a s p e c t s o f t h e m a c h i n e r y f o r

interest

the

vote

going

one

way

o r

t h e

o t h e r ,

the

tak ing

t h e v o t e

the

t a k i n g

o f

f r e e m a c h i n e r y " .

v o t e

i s ach leved ,

un ln f luenced

any

propaganda

i n

t h e

I n

t h a t

c a s e

the

Court

w a s

conslder

lng cer

events

whlch occurred during the conduct

p l e b i s c i t e .

The

observat ions

quoted

are

j u s t

a s

r e l e v a n t

i n

t h e

65.

conduc t

o f

e l ec t lon fo r

t he

f i l l i ng

o f

any o f f i ce

w l th in

any

organlzat ion

regis tered

under impartiality of a Returning

Act .

the

The

i n t e g r i t y ,

independence

and

Off

icer

such

e l e c t i o n m u s t

beyond

ques t ion .

d o

n o t

p r o p o s e

m a k i n g

a n y

f o r m a l

o r d e r s

a t

t h i s

s t age . I propose p a r t i e s t o consider what

t o al low

interval

enable

Counsel

and

t h e

have said

and

t h e r e a f t e r

t o re l is t t h e

mat te r

hear

submiss ions

t o what

o rde r s

( i f any)

should

made

under s.165 and/or s.167

any o ther sec t ion of the Federa l

A c t

be ing

mindfu

the

fac t

tha t

e lec t ion

for

the

subjec t

o f f i c e s

i s

due in August.

[1983] FCA 189

28 Jun 1983