Municipal Officers Association v Shire of Yalgoo

Industria1,Law - Alleged Breach

o f Award - Employee's r i g h t

to sa la ry dur ing suspens ion

- Alleged inconsistency

between

State Act and Federal

A m r d - Terms

Award

incorpora t ing

S t a t e Act,

- Conciliation and Arbi t ro t ion Act 1904

s.119

Local GG-Jernmen-c Act

- 1960-1975

( V e A o ) s.158(2) I (5) ,

( 6 ) ,

( 7 1 ,

(10) -

IWNiCIP!AL

OFFICERS'

ASSOCIATION v. SHIE OF YALGOO

SI4ITISERS J.

8 SEPTENBER l978

ICELBOURNE

IX THZ FEDER4L COURT OF AUSTRALIA

YESTERN AUSTRALIA DISTRICT REGISTRY

V 0 A a NO- 2 of 1978

IIDUSTRIAL DIVISION

I N THE MATTER OF THE CONCILIATION

AND ARBITRATION ACT 1904

B E

17 E E N:

THE MUI\IICIPAL OFFICERS I

ASSOCIATION OF AUSTFALIA .

C l a i m a n t

A N D:

S H I M OF

YALGOO

! I .

R e s p o n d e n t	I
!

O R D E R

JUDGE ?.'IAKING ORDER :

SMITHFRS

J D

DATE OF ORDER

S E P T E T E R ,

1978

l;!HERX MADE	IELBOURI'E
TEE COURT ORDERS:

T h a t the summons hereill be dismlssed.

THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIP,

VZSTERii

AUSTRALIA

DISTRICT

REGISTRY

W.A. No. 2 of 1978

DIVISION

INDUSTRIAL

I N THE DL4TTER OF THE CONCILIATION

llRrD ARBITRATION ACT 1904

B E T 1'1 E E N:	THE I"IUNIC1P: T , OFFICERS f	-	I
i

ASSOCIATION	OF	AUSTRkLI.4
Claimant

A N D:

SHIRE

YALGOO

Respondent

SMITHERS

J .

8 SEPTEMBER 1978

FZASOPJS FOE JKOGiviEiTT

The

c lamant seeks the impos i t ion

pena l ty upon

the respondent pursuant t o s.119 of The Conciliation and

Arbi t ra t ion Act 1904

a l l eg ing that between 15 October

1975

and 29

November 1975 It d ld f a i l t o observe 'the

provis ions of

clause

o i the Lccal Govermmt Off icers ' (Vestern Austral ia)

Award

1975 (the award)

f a i l i n g t o pay t o Wllliam Jarnes Lapham,

the Shire Clerk

the respondent , the minimm sdary prescr iLed

the c l ause appropr i a t e

t o h i s c l a s s i f i ca t ion .

The

sum

a l leged

to have been payable

but

not paid

was

$1,984.22 ,

be ing in r e spec t

of six weeks and three days

-.t t h e r a t e of $300.64 per

week and

t h i s was

not disputed.

B u t the respondent contends

that by reason of the terms

of the

award it was

under no

l i a b i l i t y t o pay a

sa l a ry to

M r Lapham

i n L h e circumstances prevail ing

a t the re levant

time.

Those

circumstances

were

that

purporting

act under

s . l58(5) (a) of the Local

Government Act 1960-1975 (W.A.)

( the Act)

the

respondent suspended

M r .

Lapham on October 15

1975,

that on the same day , pursumt

tc s . l58(6) (b j

o f

3 I

the A c t Mr.

Lapham requested an inqu i ry , t ha t

one Daniel

John

O'Dea

having been appointed pursuant

t o s0158(6) (b)

hold

the

inquiry

held

such

inquiry

and

the repor t

was made to

the

r spondent

19 November

1975

pursuant

S. 15S(6)

(d)

and WLS read at

meeting of

the respondent

on 29 November

1975,

t h a t at

the

sa id

meeting the respondent, pursuant

s.158(7)

resolved

terminate

the

service

Mr.

Lapham a t that date.

The sa id

O'Dea determined that

Mr.

Lapham should not be paid his

salary

o r

any

par t thereof for the per iod

o f

his suspension.

I t i s apparent tha t ,

i f pursuant t o the

terms of the

award, the provis ions

o f S. 158 of the

Act were applicable

t o

the employment r e l a t ionsh ip between

the respondent

and Er.

Lapham with

r e spec t t o the pe r iod

suspenslon then the

respondent commltted no breach

o f

t h e

award. Clause

6( 1)

( a )

of	the award provides:-

"The

minimum annual ra tes of

s a l a r i e s t o be paid

t o o f f i c e r s

theunder-mentioned

c l a s s i f i c a t l o n s

s h a l l be

as s e t o u t i n this clause1'.

Clause 22 provides:-

IIPayment

of s d a r i e s s h a l l be

made

a t l e a s t

fo r tn igh t ly du r ing

working hours

The amount payabl-e t o ? P r o Lephain under. these clauses

i n respect of the per iod

suspension vas the

sum

of $1,984.22.

But the award must be

read as a whole and

it was

argued f o r

t he r e sponden t t ha t the gene ra l p rov i s ions

c lause

and Clause

22 had no application t o t h e employment of Mr.

Lapham wi th respec t

t o t he

pe r iod

of suspension

because

clavse

lntroduced

spec ia l p rov i s ion r e l a t ing to tne t e rms

and

condl t lons appl icable vhere an authori ty proposed to

terminate

the employment

i ts c l e rk and had

i n connection with such

proposal suspended

him pursuant t o so158(5 ) (a ) o f The

Act,

Clause 21 provides as follows:-

'!(l)

Sub jec t

t o

the p rov i s ions

the

Local

Government Act, 1960-1973, as amended

and t h e

Health ACT;, 1911, as amended,

the per iod of

n o t l c e t o

be given by a Local Authorlty

t o an

o f€ icer

o r by

a n o f f i c e r t o

Local Authority

te rmina te the cont rac t o f se rv ice sha l l be :

( a ) i n t h e c a s e

TOTM o r Shjre

Clerk,

Tovn

o r Shire Engineer (other

thlcn

E l e c t r i c a l )

o r Profeselonal Engmeer covered

by Clause

t h i s awz-6,

f o u r weeks;

and

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

employment

u n t i l

he has given not lce in wrl t ing

h i s i n t e n t i o n

t o do

s o

and

tha t per iod has expi red .

( 2 )

In the

event

the

appropriate

period

no t i ce

n o t

be ing g iven , then the ra te

s a l a r y

f o r t h e p e r l o d

of no t lce sha l l

pa id

t h e

Local Authority

o r f o r f e i t e d by

the o f f i ce r .

(3)

P rov lded

tha t

t h i s c l ause sha l l no t app ly

an o f f i ce r	who	has been just i f iably dismissed	€or
misconduct	~

T h l s

c lause

was

considered by this Court

i n the Municioal Officers '

Association of Aus t ra l ia v. Shire of Yalgoo (unreported B. NO. 190

of 1976

de l ivered on Apri l 6 1977) wherein

the

respondent

vas

subJected to

a penal ty f o r f a l l i n g t o pay t o Mr.

Lapham his

s a l a r y f o r a

per lod of four

weeks

a f t e r t e r m i n a t i n g h i s s e r v i c e

without no-cice on

29 November

1975.

In t h a t c a s e

it vas said:-

"Quest ions vere ra lsed

as t o the meaning of

the

clause and the effect

the vords

' subject

the

provis lons o f the Local	Government Act, 1960-1973
a s amended I .

That Western Austral ian s ta tute provides

method whereby

of f icer , inc luding Shi re Clerk ,

may be removed from an offlce

In our view

provides an exclusive

method

of doing

t h i s and

under the s ta tute an ofTicer can only have his services terminated In accordance with the

provis ions of

s.158

and par t lcv lar ly sub-sec t lons

6 and 7.

The r e s u l t i s t h a t 11̂ It i s proposed t o

terminate the services of

tin

o f f l c e r f o r

any reason,

the Council

must

e i the r o rde r an lnqu l ry

o r suspend

him,

s t a t ing

the

r easons

fo r

h l s

suspens ion .

The

o f f i c e r may

wi th ln

perlcjd apply to the Councll

f o r a n l n q u i r y

and

i f

he does, the Council

must

o rder

the

inqui ry .

The

person hold ing

the

inqury

makes

reDort

writ ing to the Counci l , which,

l n t e r a l i a - ,

i s t o be read

soon as p rac t i cab le

i n open

council.

Where

lnqui ry is ordered,

the

dec is ion of

the Councll

i s n o t t o <be glven until

a f t e r t h e

reading of the

repor t .

t h i s p a r t i c u l a r c a s e ,

-&e Clerk vas

suspended. He then soL1ght an inquiry

Irhlch was

held.

The r epor t vas r e a d i n

open Council

and

decision then reached	-c0	dismiss h i m .
5

The Associat lon argued that

jIf an inquiry was

car r led out pursuant to the provis ions of

s.158

of f lcer could not	be	dismissed summarily	f o r
mlsconduct

the other hand,

It vas argued for the Councll

t h a t

S. 158

overrode and rendered nugatory the

provis ion of c lause

of the

award because of

t h e

presence

the clause of

the

words

SubJect

t o the

provis ions of tne Local	Government	ACT;	1960-1973s
as amended'

?le

t h m k

c l ea r t ha t ne i the r o f t hese

submissions i s well-founded.

our view the effect of c lause

and

S. 158

o f the Ves te rn Aus t ra l ian s ta tu te

t h a t an

imployer

wishing to discharge

o r termlnate t h e s e r v x e s

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

dismlssal

f o r mlsconduct

o r

by any

o ther

method

of termmation of the contract ,

must

carry out the provis lons of

s.158

inc luding

t hose

r e l a t ing

t o suspension

and

inquiry.

It is

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

dec is ion until

the r epor t

has been made and read	m	open c o u n c ~ l .
,

af ter

these procedures have been carrled

o u t

t he se rv i ces a re t e rmlna ted o thenr i se than ju s t l f i ab ly

for r@isconduct, one

o f

the per lods

o f

no t ice spec l f ied

i n sub-clause

l must

given o r one of

the sums

o f

money

specif ied in sub-clause

2 pa id .

ultimately

a n o f f i c e r

i s

jus t i f lab ly d ismlssed for misconduct he

obta ins no r i g h t s a t a l l under clause

21 of the

award

and must

look elsewhere f o r any r i g h t s 'I

Sect ion 158 of the Act

is i n te rms appl lcable to the

employment

iYra Lapham.

So fa r a s ma te r i a l

t provides:-

"Section 158

(l)ono

(2 )

The

counci l may,

but

only

i:~

accordance with

the terms and conditions cf the agreement under vhich

he i s appointed to

the o f f i c e ,

remove

an o f f i ce r

from

an of f ice	and appoint a successor l n his place.
( 3 1 0 . *

( 4 ) .

0 0

(5) ( a )	Whel*e the	counci	l	proposes	to	terminate
.L

Lhe se rv ices of a person hol.ding

aily o f those

offzces except where they are terminazed by reason

111s

ret i rement under subsect ion

( 3 ) of

t h i s s e c t i o n

sha l l e i t he r o rde r an inqu l ry unde r

th i s

sec t ion

o r suspend him.

(b)

...

(6) (a) Within seven days after suspenslon the officer

may, i f the inquiry has not a l ready been held, apply

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

f o r an

inquiry and thereupon the

counci l sha l l o rder

inqui ry , bu t

i f

t i e o f f i c e r

does not

s o apply the counci l

may

proceed to

determine

the

matter.

(b)

A person appomted

the Governor

sha i l ho ld

the inqui ry .

(c )

The

person

ho ld ing

the

inqul ry

sha l l

make

r e p o r t i n w r l t i n g

the matters inquired into.

(d)

The

or igir?al of

t h e

r e p o r t

s h a l l

sen t by

him

to the counc i l

and coples

t h e r e p o r t s h a l l a t

the

same

time

s o sen t

the Minis te r and the of f icer

i n r e s p e c t

uhom

the inqu i ry

was

made.

( e )

The

r e p o r t

s h a l l

read

oon

p r a c t i c a b l e i n

open

co-mci i ,

(7) Where an 1nqu.ir-y is ordered

the decis ion

the

counc i l sha l l no t	be	given untll	a f t e r t h e r e a d i n g	o f
t he r epor t .

( lO) (a )

The person holding

the lnqui ry

may award cos t s

and expenses

( including the

ex enses r e fe r r ed to

i n

subsect ion

( 9 ) of

t h i s s e c t i o n P

t o a n

amount

assessed by

him

aga ins t

e i t he r

t he

counc i l

o r

t h e

o f f i c e r

and

any coats

o r eAxpenses s o awarded may be recovered

as a

d e b t i n

cour t o€

competent

Ju r i sd i c t ion .

(b)

The person hold ing

the

inqui ry sha l l a l so

determine whether the off icer shal l

o r

s h a l l n o t

paid

h i s s a l a r y	o r any	pa r t t he reo f fo r t he pe r lod	of	his
suspenslon.

It was sald tha t c l ause

i s concerned only with the

per iods of not ice to be given

local authori-cy to

o f f i ce r .

It was

conceded

t h a t t h e e f f e c t

c lause 21

vas tha t t e rmina t ion

employnent could not occur

u n t i l

the

procedures prescr ibed in

s.158

t h e Act had been observed. But

It was

contended that

clause 21 did not ope ra t e to app ly

the

terms of

s.158

t h e

Act

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

between the claimant and the respondent

s o

t h a t t h e r i g h t s

and obligations concerning remuneration of

14r- Lapham during the t ime

that the procedures prescr ibed

S. 158 were i n the course

lmplementatlon were determined

the provis ions

thereof .

It was

acknowledged tha t the provis lons

of t h e Act	cannot	p reva i l	aga ins t	the	arrard	because	of s.65 of the	I
,

Conci l ia t ion

and

Arbi t ra t ion

Act

1904.

The

i ssue must

therefore

r e so lved acco rd ing to the p rope r in t e rp re t a t ion

of clause

21.

The

quest ion i s vhe ther tha t c lause

is t o be

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

providing that during the per iod

when

the procedures under

s.158

are be lngmrr ied out the remunera t lon of the

employee

concerned

i s t o depend upon

t h a t s e c t i o n ,

i n o ther words

does the

award

say -chat t h e empl6yee’s enti t lement to

remuneratlon during suspension

1s something t o be determined by

t h e a r b i t r a t o r p u r s u a n t t o

S. 158( 10) (b)

s a i d In

MciYanus v.

Genera l Elec t r ic

Co.

of Australia Ltd.

(1971)

18 F.L.R.

374 a t 381 :-

.e..o.

D it is competent Tor a Commonwealth award t o

prescr ibe by

re ference there to

that the p rov i s ions

S t a t e law

which applies to persons and

SltUatlOnS

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

pa r t i cu la r pe r sons and s i tua t lons wl th in the

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

t h e avard-maklng

au thor i ty .

does

t h i s t h e n r i g h t s

and

du t i e s s imi l a r

l i l n- t

ure

and extent to those conferred and

imposed by

the

provis lons

t h e S t a t e

law

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

p a r t i e s t h e s u b j e c t

t he %a te

law

are thereby

conferred and imposed

by t h e award i t s e l f upon the

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

award.”

That

i t should be the effect

qual i fy ing provis ion

such as

the

opening vrords of

clause

21 t h a t it

should

cause

the

whole

c l ause to enac t

pos i t lve provis ion a f fec t ing the te rms

the

employment

and making

tk.2 p rovis ions

o f

S t a t e l a v a p p l i c a b l e

may seem unusual.

The problem of interpreting clause

21 has i n it a

degree of silmilarity with

that dea l t w i th

Stephen J.

I n

kustral iar , Conci l la t ion and Arbj t ra t ion

Commission;

ex parte Transport

Workers Union

of Aus t ra l ia

(1977)

17 A.L.R.

367

where the re vas under

consideration a c lause

i n a

l o g

o f c l a lms to the e f f ec t t ha t ce r t a in

work

s h a l l

"be

performed by

members of the

IWU and such

work s h a l l n o t be

a l loca ted to cmcaloyees members

of -che TWU

o r the FEDFA"

The

quest lon was

whether

i t s p rope r in t e rp re t a t lon the

clause expressed

demand

tha t ne l ther nod-unlonis t s nor

members of more thm- one of

the w-ions referred to should

employed.

His Honour s a i d a t page 372:-

"The

first

demand

i s expressed , success ive ly ,

the aff i rmat lve and in the negat ive, each l inked

t o

t h e o t h e r

by t h e word

'and

The

af f i rmat lve

demands

agreement

t h a t i n t h e

performance

work by

employees

. e . a l l such ~s?ork

shall

performed by

o r sha l l con t lnue to

be performed by

members

the

i'MJ',

the nega t lve

tha t such

vork

s h a l l n o t

a l l o c a t e d t o

emDloyees members

t h z TVW

o r the FEDFA'

D Neither

shouid,

I th ink , be r e a d i n

l s o l a t l o n

from

the other.

Not

only are they

l inked

grammatically but their

subject matter,

the arrangement

of the paragraph

and the general

mode o f expresslon

requi res ,

I th lnk ,

tha-c they should

be read togetner

as express ing

one

ent i re concept .

They

provide

example

the

ccmmon

devlce of using afflrmatlve and ncga tive

s t a t e m e n i x , i n p a r a l l e l c l a u s e s , t o e q r e s s t h e

one

concept ifl tvo ways. approaching

i;t from opposite

poles .

The

concep L; h2re i s tha t cGr ta in

work

s h a l l be

the prcserve

cer ta in persons, exclusive

o f

c e r t a l n

o t h e r s ;

t h i s

i s eqcpressed, first affirmatively

and

then nega t ive ly , i n t he

tlvo

successive clauses.

Mr.

Commissioner

Portus expressed the sense

of'

th? thing

succ inc t ly when,

on the flrst d ispute T i r s t coming

before him,

remarked

t h a t

' i f work i s t o be allocated

t o a

pa r t i cu la r un ion

aga ins t t he

members

of other

unions

fo l lows tha t t he

work

s h a l l n o t

a l l o c a t e d t o

members of su.ch other unlons

The

c l auses a re no t pe r f ec t ly co r re l a t ed s ince

one

r e f e r s

performance of work, the other to

I ts

a l locs t ion ;

however

they a re , subscant ia l ly ,

the a f f i rmat ive

and

negative

aspects

the

one concept. So understood

each

clause

adds

meanmg

the

other,

the

affirma-cive

c lause be ing qua l i f ied in scope

the terms

i ts

negat ive

par tner .

The

vhole

seeks no absolute

monopoly f o r MW

members, but only

a monopoly a s

regards members o f the o ther

two unions.

It follows

t h a t I do not regard the

first demand a s a t a l l

c o n c e r n i n g i t s e l f m t h t h e q u e s t i o n	of non-union
labour

Clause

does not say,

but

assumes

tha t the procedure

by which

the employment of a c l e rk will

come to an end

is t h a t of

the giving of

not ice

one

p a r t y t o

t!le

other. This

assurnptlon is reasonable

and

may 'be taken as sound.

that

s l t ua t ion c l ause

declares the length of not ice vhich

t o be

given by

t h e l o c a l

government

a u t h o r i t y t o t h e c l e r k

e f f ec t ive p rocedure fo r l ega l ly t e rmina t ing the c l e rk ' s

employment.

d e c l a r e s a l s o t h a t

that

procedure shal l

i n s t i t u t e d o n l y

subjec t

t o the provisions of

the Act.

seen

the clause,

read

a s a whole, expresses

"one ent l re concept"

namely the terms

and

condl t iom governing termmation of the contract of

employment.

The

in t roductory qua l i fy ing

words and

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

per iod of no t ice a re %ot per fec t ly cor re la ted" s ince the former

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

authority's

r i g h t

t o Terminate the

c l e r k ' s

employment

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

perlod of

suspension

cer ta in prescr ibed terms and condi t ions,

and

the

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

l ega l ly e f f ec t ive no t i ce

terminat3.on.

understood each part of the clause

"adds

meanxg

to the o ther ' !

and t h e whole i s effec-cive to operate

as a

composite

provis ion enac t ing

o r awarding

tha t t he t e rms

and conditlons of

terminat ion of the contract

c l e r k ' s

employment

a r e

thoe" contained in the provls ions

t h e

Act

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

toge ther with

fou r weeks

not ice given

when

permisslble , in accord-

ance

therewith.

The

introdu.ction of

f o u r weeks

not ice when

pe rmis s ib l e r e f l ec t s t he dec i s ion

t h l s

Court

I n NuniciDal

Off icers ' Associat ion

of Australia v. Shire of Yalgoo (supra) . The

in t roduct ion of the provis ions

o f

the

Act

1 s wrapped

i n t h e

no t ion tha t c l ause

dea ls wi th the subjec t

terminat ion

employment as an ent i re concept .

i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of

c lause 21

posi t ive provis lon of the

award

introducing the terms of

the Act

i n t o t h e

employment

is therefore not

t o be denied, simply

because

i t

i s

expressed

i n q u a l i f y i n g

words.

Such

an in t e rp re t a t ion

reads more

in to c l ause

2 1 than was

perhaps contemplated

in c e r t a i n

dicta of Dunphy J. and Joske .L in Re Municipal Officers (V~ctoria) Ak-ard

1959 (1962) 4 F.L.B.

4 2 G at 441 and h45 but of course the submissions

msde t o me

were n o t considered in depth

i n t h a t case i t being

unnecessary for that to be

done.

It is t o be obserwd tha t

clause 21 does much more than

merely

f i x a

per iod of not ice to be given to

the

employee

te rmina t ion

se rv ice .

The SUbJeCt matter of c lause 21

i s e s s e n t i a l l y t h a t

of termination of

employment

broadly

considered,

it i s headed

I'Resignations

and

Dismissal

S" D

There

i s no

o ther provis ion

i n the award provlding f o r terminat ion.

dea ls

with

termination by either the employing authority

o r t h e

employee.

It provides -chat each par ty may terminate

the

employment

givi l ig not ice ,

l n the case

the Shire Clerk of

four veeks.

The

c l e rk

may

no t l eave h i s

emplogment

until

he has

g i v e n n o t i c e i n w r l t i n g

h i s i n t e n t i o n t o

and

"that perlod'l

has

expired. Tnus,

s o

f a r a s t h e a v a r d

i s

concerned

the authority's

on ly r igh t t o t e rmina te

the

c l e r k ' s

employment

g iv ing four

weeks

not lce and tha t

right

s t a t e d t o

sub jec t t o the p ro -

v i s ions

the Act.

o ther

words

t emina t ion unde r the

award

may

on ly t ake p l ace sub jec t t o the p rov i s ions o f t he

Act

s o fa r a s t hey dea l

with

t h a t m a t t e r .

They

deal with

that matter

by providing that where

t h e r e is an inqui ry pursuant to

s.158

(5 ) (a ) t he re

is t o be no termination

t h e c l e r k ' s

employment

except pursuan-t

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

s.158(7),

a f t e r a

report has

been received

by and read

by the Council

of the Shire . /

The

provis ions of the

Act

dea l wit? the ques t ion of te rmnat ion not

on ly wi th r e spec t t o the tme

when

the Council

may

terminate the

ernployment

but

x r i t h respect to remunerat ion of the clerk during

the per

lod of

his

suspension.

The

provls ion states t h a t i t

shall be determined

t h e a r b i t r a t o r

who

held the inquiry.

this case the arbi t ra tor determined there should

such

remuneration.

I t is contemplatedbyclause2L that before notice

termination

i s

given thereunder the s ta tutory modif icat ions

o f

the

terms

the cont rac t o f

employment

which

a re lnevi tab ly involved

i n the

implementation of those procedures according to

s.158

during

the period of suspermion

will.

have applied and have taken effect

the pa r t i cu la r ca se .

subject

the operat

ion of

those

modl f ica t lons tha t t e rmmat ion pursuant to c lause

i s ,

according

the

te rms of

that

c l a u s e i t s e l f ,

t o proceed.

i s n o t t o

be Thought

t h a t it i s to proceed subJe ct tp

some

only of

those

modif icat ions,

so t h a t f o r i n s t ance

t he

p rov i s ions

s.158

concernirlg the remuneration

payable

during

suspension

might

exc

:epted.

Such

not ion woul d

i n c o n f l i c t VI 4 t h t h a t

general contemplat ion inherent in c lause

tha t be fo re

terminat lon thereunder the provis ions of

s.158

concerning terminat-

i on T v i l l have been

implemented.

Suspension

and

arbitration

are

i n t e g r a l

components of

the provls ions dea l ing wi th te rmina t ion .

Th i s s i t ua t ion

s o

es tabl ished accords wlth the object ive of

c lause 21 tinat

employee

1s t o have fou r weeks not ice of

terminatiox and be paid

i n

respec t thereof and re f lec ts the

awareness of the

award

o f t he appropr i a t eness to the pa r t i cu la r

c lass of

employment of persons

employed i n l o c a l government of

spec ia l p rovis lons concern ing r igh ts

termination.

The

modifications of the terms

ernploTyment

co2tained

i n s.158 of

the Act

may

be inconsis tent with clauses

and

but

f a r as

t h a t is so t h e y g a i n t h e i r a u t h o r i t y

from clause

21.

It may

be thought that

as vha t is t o be

In te rpre ted i s an award

and

no t

an Act of Parliament

some

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

and

precision

expression

is t o be

anticipated.

Accordingly

grea te r s ign i f icance

may

be accorded

t o s p e c i a l p r o v i s l o n s i n

t h e i r r e l a t i o n t o g e n e r a l p r o v i s i o n s .

I t may

sa id the re fo re

t h a t

i n this

award

the absence of e,xpress qualiTying vords

i n

clauses

such

as 6 and 22 has no

s ign i f i cance

i n

t he

presence of the qualifying

words which

appear

i n clause 21

which

dea l s w i th the spec i f i c sub jec t

o f

termmation.

When the procedures prescr ibed

by s.158 of t h e Act a r e

implemented the clerk

may

be given four

weeks

not lce , vhlch, but

for the condi t ion ln t roduced in to c lause

the

vords

Itsubject tcj

the p rov l s ions

the Local

Government Act1',

could have beln given vhen he

was

suspended.

Those

.c.o-rds

postpone the r ight to not ice for the espress purpose

a l lowing the prcvis ions

s.158

to opera te

on the employment

according

the

terms

thereof .

Whether he i s remunerated

o r no t fo r t he pe r iod

suspension

i s

determined, pursuant

t o t h e

award,

the a rb i t r a to r , bu t he

s t i l l

receives

four weeks

not ice .

Accordingly,

i t i s my

view that the proper conclusion

i s t h a t t h e

award

i t s e l f , i n t e r p r e t e d

whole, provides

that during the per iod

suspension the remuneration

the

c l e rk depends upon

the appl ica t ion

the provisions of

s.158

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

employer

and

employee between

the

respondent and Hr. Laphan End tha t in the circumstances

110

remuneration was	payable t o him pursuant t o t h e award during
tha t per iod .

t h e r e s u l t t h e

summons here in must

be dismissed.

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

and

the

precedlng pages are

a t rue copy o f the

Reasom

f o r J u d g m e n t h e r e i n o f h i s H o n o u r

Kr.

Jus t lce 5w A

[1978] FCA 79

8 Sep 1978