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

Case [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

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Details
AGLC
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
Case
[1983] FCA 100
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The matter before the court involves an application by Jack Lawler Rayner for an inquiry into the elections for the offices of state conference delegate and state councillor in the Federated Clerks Union of Australia, Victorian Branch. The respondents to the inquiry are the secretary of the shipping section, Mr. J. D. Cameron, Mr. R. Brown and Mr. K. Cook, who were the candidates returning in the election, and the Federated Clerks Union of Australia. The court had to determine whether an irregularity occurred in or in connection with the election for these offices under the rules of the union. The court held that it had jurisdiction to conduct the inquiry and that irregularities had indeed occurred in the election, leading to the declaration of the election void. The court also noted that the terms of the offices of the two purported elected individuals had already expired, making it unnecessary to take further action.

Orders

Orders of the court

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Background

Background to the litigation

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Evidence

Evidence Before The Court

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Decision

Reasons for decision

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Ratio Decidendi

Legal Principle Established

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