In the matter of the Federated Clerks Union of Australia In the matter of an application for Jack Lawler Rayner for an inquiry into elections in the Federated Clerks Union of Australia, Victorian Branch

[1983] FCA 100

\TICTORT\ DISTRTCT FFGTSTRY	I	V.	Fro.	?7 of l Q n 7
IMDUSTRTAT, DTVTSTON

J N THE V A T T ~ R oi the r c d r r a t e d

C l e r k s I J n j o n of A u s t r a l i a , a n

o r q a n j m t 1 0 n of cmploypes unde r

t h e Conc j 1 i s t i o n a d

A r b i f r a t i o n A c t of	1004
a n d

J Y THE MATTER o f a n a n p l i c a t l o n

by ;rack J,awler Ravncr for a n - -

i n q u i r y i n t o e l e c t - i o n s i n the

F e d e r a t e d C l e r k s U n i o n of

Rustral la , V i c t o r i a n B r a n c h

CORAY: MorChrop J.

'I'BE COURT DFCLARES THAT t hc = l ec t . l ons he12 i n lop2 t o 1.bc

o f f i c e s 0' a n n u a l s t a t e c o n f r r e n c e de !eqa te 2 n d s t a t e

counc i 11 or t o t h e Victorian Branch of t h e F r i c r r a t e r l C l e r k s

Union of q u s t r a l i a f r o m the s h i p p i n q section of t.hat P r a n c h

sre i lecl .~re.cl vo id .

T N THE FEDERAL C01117T O F ADSTR3LTA	\
)

VICTORJA D STRTCT REG S RY \ \

TNDUSTRTAL DTVISTOM

'CM TAF Y%?TI-,R of t h e Federated

C l e r k s Union of A u s t r a l i a , a n

o r q a n i z a t i o n of employees u n d e r

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

A r b i t r a t i o n A c t o f	1Qn4
and

I N THE MATTER of a n a p p l i c a t l o n

by Jack Lawler Rayner for a n

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

F e d e r a t e d C l e r k s U n i o n o f

A u s t r a l i a , V i c t o r l a n Branch

C O R W : N o r t h r o p J .

DATE :	30 M A Y	14R3
-

WHERE MADE: Melbourne

The C o u r t i s i n q u x r i n g i n t o the q u e s t i n n of wl7ptht-r

a n i r r e g u l a r i t y o c c u r r e d i n or i n c o n n e c t i o n w l t h an c1ec: t lon

for the off ices- of s t a t e c o n f e r e n c e d e l c o a t e a n d s t a t e

c o u n c ~ l o r respec t ive ly u n d e r the r u l e s of t h e Fe r l e ra t ed

C l c r k s Union' of q u s t r a l i a , V i c t o r i a n R r a n c h , " the Branch" :

see s . 1 6 5 of the Conc i l l a t . i on and P rh l t - r a i - ion Act l O O d , " the

A c t " . J a c k L a w l e r R a y n e r , t h e a p p l i c a n t , had I o i J o ~ d a n

a p p l i c a t i o n For a n i n q u l r y with t he T n d u s t r i a l Req? s t ra r :

s .15C1~1' , - n d (9) o f i.!.r- h-+. T?-P Tnd11-tr i71 "eo1 $1 r a j -

- 2 -

r e f e r r c d t h e m a t t e r t o t h e C o u r t unde r s.lfir) of t h e Act.

Thereupor! .che i n q u i r y was i n s t i t u t e d I n t h e C o u r t : 5.161 o f

t h e A c t : s e e a1 so S . ] 1 R A ( 1 I of the Ac t and S. 1 cl Federal

Cour t of A u s t r a l i a A c t 1976. A t t h e i n q u i r y counsel appepred

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

o f Mr. J. D. Cameron ( t h e s e c r e t a r y of t h e B r a n c h ) , Mr. R .

Brown and Mr. K. Cook ( h e i n g p e r s o n s who nominated €or t h e

o f f i c e s t h e r e t u r n i n g o f f i c e r c o n d u c t j n q % h e c l e c t i o n ) , a n d s u b j e c t OF t h e i n q u i r y ) , Mr. T. I!. Ryan ( t h e

t h e F a d e r a t c ?

Clerks Union h e r e 1 n a f t e r r e f e r r e d of A u s t r a l i a , " t h e F r d p r a t - i o n " , a l l o f whom a r e

t o a5 " t h e r e s p o n d e n t s " .

A t a n e a r l y s t a q e o f t h e i n q u i r y i t . hecame a p p a r e n t

t h a t t h e r e s p e c t i v e l y t h e o f f i c e s o f e l e c t i o n was f o r o f f i c e s i n t h e F r a n c h h e i n q

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

B r a n c h	r u l e	1 3 and	a	s t a t e councillor	u n d e r	R r a n c h	r u l e	l?,
S-

J

i n e a c h s e c t i o n . o f c a s e t1.e e l e c t i o n h e i n q hy mrmherp of t h e s h i p p l n a

t h e B r a n c h . Thc r u l e s o f t h e F e d e r a t l o n , " t h e

F e d e r a l rules", a n d t h e r u l e s of t h e E r a n c h , "thr Branch

r u l e s " , a r c r e q i s t e r e d u n d e r t h e p r o v i s i o n s of t h e A c t . The

B r a n c h h a s p u r p o r t e ? t.o have made rules a p p l i c a b l e t o t h e

s \ i p p i . n q s e c t i o n o f t F r R r z n c h , h u t t h o s e r u l r s a r e n o t

r e q i s t e r c d u n d e r t h e p r o v i s j o n s of t h e A c t . 71- became c l e a r ,

t ~ e r e f o r c , t h a t t h e e l . e c t l o n was fo r n f f l c e s provirl-8 f o r i n

t h e E r a n c h r u l e s , h e i n q o f f ~ c e s which , unr l r r the Act ln.1 t1.c

- ? -

R e n u l a t i o n s , were r e q u i r e d t o be f i l l e d b y a n e l r c t i o n , h u t

t h a t h e e l e c t i o n h a d b e e n c 0 n d 1 1 c t e . l u n d r r rules which had

n o t been r e q i s t e r e d .

T h e i n q u i r y o r i q i n f i l l y s o u q h t by th'e applicant a n d

r e f e r r e d t o t h e C o u r t hy t h e T n c l l l s t r i a l R e q i s t r a r r e l a t e d t o

a t h i . r d s e c t j o n . p o s i t l o n , n a m e l y t h a t of ' s e c r e t a r y of t h e s h i p p l n q

That was a p o s i t i o n n o t p r o v i d e d €or i n a n y

r e g i s t e r e d r u l e of the F e d e r a t i o n o r o f t h e B r a n c h . It. was a

p o s i t i o n p r o v i d e d f o r by t h e u n r e s i s t e r c d s h i p p i n g s e c t i o n

r u l e s and was c o n d u c t e d p u r s u a n t t o t h o s e a n r e q i s t e r e d r u l e s .

' On a p r e l i m i n a r y o b j e c t i o n t h e C o u r t , c o n s t i t u t e d by S m j t h c r s

J . , on l6 Nove~nher l o p ? made a n orrler i i e c l a r l n q t h a t t h e

C o u r t h a d n o ~ u r i s d i c t i o n t o entertain t h e reference of t h e

J n r J u s t r i a l R e g i s t r a r i n s o f a r as i t i n v o l v e d a n i n q u i r y i n t o

the e l e c t i o n fo r t h e ~ o s i t i o n of s e c r e t a r y of t h e s b i p p i n q

sectlglf:

A f t e r t h e m a t t e r h a d b e e n onerlcri h u t herore a n y

e v i d c n c e . a p a r t from t h e a f f j d a v i t s , h a i l h e e n q i v c = n , counspl

f o r t h e r e s p o n d e n t s s u h m l t t e d t h a t t h r C o u r t h a d n o

~ u r j s d i c t ~ o n t o e n t c r t a l n t h P r e f r r ence i n s o f a r a s i t . r e l a t e d

t o t h e s u h r n i s s i o n w a s t w o o f f i ces a1 r e a d y d e s c r i b e d . Tn s u b s t a n c e , h1s

t h a t 1 n S . ] ??(l\ and S . 16511 ) of t h e Act, t h e

word " e l p c t i o n " should be c o n s t r u e d a s meaning " a n e l e c t i o n

- A -

which w a s h e i n a or h a d b e e n ~ o n r l u c t e d p u r s u a n t t o r u l e s v l h i c h

h a d b e e n r e g i s t e r e d " . The r e l e v a n t p a r t s of t h o s e s c r ? t i o n s

a re s e t o u t :

"159.11.) Where a mrmher of ;In o r g a n i z a t i o n

. . . c l a i m s t h a t t h e r e h a s b e e n a n irregularity

i n o r i n c o n n e x i o n w i t h a n e l e c t l o n for a n

o f f i c e i n t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n , or i n a b r a n c h of

t h e o r g a n i z a t j o n , h e p a y l o d g e a n a p p l j c a t l o n

for	an incru j ry	. .	. I '
and

1 6 5 . ( 1 1 F t a n i n q u i r y the C o u r t s h a l l . i n q u i r e

i n t o a n ? d e t e r m i n e t h e q u e s t ~ o n w h e t h e r a n y

i r r e q u l a r i t y h a s o c c u r r e d i n o r i n c o n n e v j o n

w i t h t h e e l e c t ~ o n .. ."

C o u n s e l c o n t e n d e d t h a t e l e c t l o n n c o n d u c t e d p u r s u a n i - t o

u n r e q i s t e r e c l r u l e s j s a n u l l i t y and t h u s i s n o t a n e l ec t lon

f o r t h e c o n t e n t ' i o n p u r p o s e s of t h o s e p r o v i s i o n s . Tn s u n n o r t of t h a t

c

c o u n s e l re1 ied u p o n v j e w s e r p r e s s e d I n S m j t h V .

T a y l o r ( 1 4 6 4 ) 6 F.L .R . 13R and thc cases r e f e r r e d t o the re rn .

A l l . t h o s e c a s e s a r o s e u n d e r w h a t i s now s .141 of t h e Act.

C o u n s e l c o n t e n d e d t h a t where s u c h a n e l ec t lon t a k e s p l ~ c c

there can he n o e l e c t i o n on which t o f o u n d t h e i n q u j r y a n d h e

r e f e r r e d by way of example t o t h e r e a s o n c : fo r d c c l s i o n q l v r n

b y the T n d u s t r i a l R q i s t r a r , M r . R . > l a r s h a l l , i n Tn r e V . O . A .

(1071) 2 6 11R 3245. That WAS a c a s e where t h e o f c i c e in.

q u e s t i o n was c r e a t e d h y u n r e n i s t - e r e d r u l e s and t h e h o l d e r o f

t h s t o f f i c e h a d n o p o w e r s c o n f c r r e d u n o n h i m hy a n y

r - u i s t - r e d r l l l e s . Th- san'? m r l r c i r , 1 = s For-1-a < h - b a s l q cr

- 5 -

t h e d e c i s i o n of S m i t h e r s J . , s u p r a . I n t h e p r e s e n t c a s e , t h r

t w o o f f i c e s , t h e suhiect of the i n q u i r y , a r e c r e a t e d l y t h P

B r a n c h r u l e s t d i i c h a r e registered, and t h e h o l d e r s o f t h o - e

o f f i ces h a v e power confe r r ed upon them by t h e Rrancfi r u l ~ s .

C o u n s e l c o n t e n d e d f u r t h e r t h a t a reference t o o t h e r

p r o v i s i o n s i n P a r t 1 X s u p p o r t e d a b s e n c e of j u r i s d i c t i o n . H e

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

c o n t a i n e d I n s . 4 of t h e A c t a n 4 i t s ex tended mean inq to

i n c l u d e "a bresch o€ t h e r u l . e s oi a n o r q a n l z a t i o n " w h i c h , he

c o n t e n d e d , m u s t mean r e o i s t e r e d r u l e s . T h e r e i s f o r c e i n

t h a t c o n t e n t l o n b u t It does n o t c o n c l u d e the matter s i n c e t h e

d e f i n i t i o n i s n o t d e f i n i t i v e of t h e m e a n i n q of t he word

" i r r e g u l a r i t y " . I r e f e r t o a n d a d h e r e t o wha t was s e i 4 i n - Tn

- r e F e d e r a t e d L i n u o r anC A l l i e d T n d u s t r i e s E m p l o y e e s U n i o n of

A u s t r a l i a : Ex n a r t e H u x t a b l e f l 9 7 Q ! 4 0 F . L . R . d l R a t

-

p p . 4 2 4 4 . C o u n s e l r e f e r r e d also t o s e c t i o n s 1".5(3\ a n d ( A \ ,

' r

1 6 7 f 3 ) , lh?%3, 370A(l.) and 170A13) of t h e A c t , a s wel l a s t h e

d e f i n l t i - o n	of	" o f f i c e "	a p p e a r j n s	i n	s . 3	of	t h e	Act	a n d
s . l 5 9 ( 1 ) .

I n m y o p i n l o n , t h e C o u r t has - ~ u r i s r T i c t i o n t o

c o n d u c t the i n q l l i r y . I n S . ] 53(1\, re ference is made tm " a n

e lec t ion fo r a n o f f i c e . . . 111 a h r a n c h o f t.hc o r q a n j z a t l o n " ,

w h i l e S .165( 1 r c q u j r e s t h c C o l l r t t o i n q u i r e i n t o a n 3

3 e t e r m l n e w h e t h e r a n y i r r e a u l a r i t y h a s o c c u r r e d I n or in

c o n n e c t l m with the e1 p r t . i o n h c i n q t.he 0 1 e c l - i o n f o r ;.n

- 6 -

off ice , i n the p resen t c a s e i n the P r a n c h . T h e i n q u i r y i s

d i r e c t e d t o w h e t h e r an l r r e g u l a r j t y has o c c u r r e r 1 i n or i n

c o n n e c t i o n w i t h e n e l e c t i o n for the two o f f ~ c e s i n t h e n r a n c h

a l r e a d y r e f e r r e d to . I n t h e a h s e n c - of a n y d p c l a r a t i o n s

q l v e n u n d e r s.165 of thc! A c t , and i n t h e a b s e n c e of orders

t h a t may h e made u n d e r s.140 or s.141 of t h e Act, t h e p e r s o n s

d e c l a r e d e l e c t e d t o t h o s e o f f ices w o u l d e x e r c i s e t h e powers

c o n f e r r e d u p o n t h e m b y t h e P r a n c h r u l e s . T t j S c l e a r t h a t

t h e e l e c t i o n s c h a l l e n q e d ? r e p l e c t i o n s for o f f i c e s w i t h i n the

Branch and t h a t t h e restricted meaninq t o be c r iven t o the

w o r d " e l e c t i o n " i n t h e c o n t e n t i o n of c o u n s e l s h o u l d n o t be

a d o p t e d . I n f a c t , i t j S d j f f i c l l l t t o s e e a q r e n t e r

j r r e q u l a r j t y , w i t h i n the o r d i n a r y r w a n i n q of t F l a t w o r d , i n or

i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h a n e l e c t l o n i n A h r a n c h t h a n w h e r e t h a t

e l e c t i o n j s c o n d u r t e d p u r s u a n t t o u n r P n i s t P r e d r u l e s .

,-- I t f o l ~ o w s t h a t f o r t h e v e r y r e a s o n s e x p r e s s e r 1 hy

,'

c o u n s e l for t h e r e s p o n d e n t s o n t h e j u r i s d i c t i o n p o i n t ,

i r r e g u l a i i t i e s o c c u r r e d i n or i n c o n n e c t i o n with t h e e l e c t i o n

t o t h e two	of f lces t h e	s u h - j e c t	of	t h i s	i n q u i r y .	The	C o u r t	so
f i n d s .

I n t h e s e c i r c u m s t a n c e s t h e C o u r t m u s t . ? e t e r n i n e

what orders s?mulii be mad?: see S. 1 6 5 1 3 ) of t h e 4 c t . T h e r e

i s n o doubt t h a t h e l e c t i o n was a n < i s v o i d . I n f a c t ,

cqnnscl for t h e r e sDonAen t s a id it was a n u l 1 ' t y . Th c

p r o v i s i o n s	of	s . 1 6 5 f d )	a r e	s a t i s f i n d .	H o w c v c r ,	t h l -	terms	nf
*.

- 7 -

o f f i c e o f t h e t w o p e r s o n s p u r p o r t e d to h a v e been e l e c t e d t o

t h ? t w o o f f i c e s h a v e a l r e a d y e x p i r e ? , n a m e l y o n 1 5 3.pril

19R3. In t h o s e c i r c u m s t a n c e s t h e o n l y o r d e r t h e C o u r t s h o u l d

make i s t h a t t h e e l e c t i o n of M r . Brown a n d I l r . Cook t o t h o s e

t w o o f f i c e s s h o u l d h e d e c l a r e d v o i d . T h e Court made t h a t

o r d e r o n 7 4 May lQR3 bu t r e . s e rved i t s r e a s o n s for so d o j n q .

The Court now publishes t h o s e r e a s o n s .