UWA Sport Pty Ltd Summary

[2018] FWC 2048

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

s.318 - Application for an order relating to instruments covering new employer and transferring employees

UWA Sport Pty Ltd

(AG2018/1002)

Educational services
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS	PERTH, 10 APRIL 2018

Transfer of instrument.

This is an application made pursuant to section 318 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act) by UWA Sport Pty Ltd (the new employer). The application seeks orders that a transferrable instrument, The University of Western Australia Professional and General Employees Agreement 2017 [AE426301] not cover the new employer nor any employees formerly employed by the University of Western Australia who performed work in the Uniswim aquatics program (the Transferring Employees) and that the UWA Sport Enterprise Agreement 2016 [AE423253] cover the Transferring Employees.

Section 318 sets out the circumstances in which such orders may be made by the Commission, as follows:

“318 Orders relating to instruments covering new employer and transferring employees

Orders that the FWC may make

(1) The FWC may make the following orders:

(a) an order that a transferable instrument that would, or would be likely to, cover the new employer and a transferring employee because of paragraph 313(1)(a) does not, or will not, cover the new employer and the transferring employee;

(b) an order that an enterprise agreement or a named employer award that covers the new employer covers, or will cover, the transferring employee.

Who may apply for an order

(2) The FWC may make the order only on application by any of the following:

(a) the new employer or a person who is likely to be the new employer;

(b) a transferring employee, or an employee who is likely to be a transferring employee;

(c) if the application relates to an enterprise agreement—an employee organisation that is, or is likely to be, covered by the agreement;

(d) if the application relates to a named employer award—an employee organisation that is entitled to represent the industrial interests of an employee referred to in paragraph (b).

Matters that the FWC must take into account

(3) In deciding whether to make the order, the FWC must take into account the following:

(a) the views of:

(i) the new employer or a person who is likely to be the new employer; and

(ii) the employees who would be affected by the order;

(b) whether any employees would be disadvantaged by the order in relation to their terms and conditions of employment;

(c) if the order relates to an enterprise agreement—the nominal expiry date of the agreement;

(d) whether the transferable instrument would have a negative impact on the productivity of the new employer’s workplace;

(e) whether the new employer would incur significant economic disadvantage as a result of the transferable instrument covering the new employer;

(f) the degree of business synergy between the transferable instrument and any workplace instrument that already covers the new employer;

(g) the public interest.

Restriction on when order may come into operation

(4) The order must not come into operation in relation to a particular transferring employee before the later of the following:

(a) the time when the transferring employee becomes employed by the new employer;

(b) the day on which the order is made.”

Consideration

Considering that matters prescribed in section 318(3) of the Act that the Commission must take into account and the evidence of Mr Fitzpatrick contained in his affidavit and noting that the Transferring Employees where each served with the application and the notice of listing of today’s hearing and that no Transferring Employee has contacted the Commission regarding this matter nor attend the hearing I am satisfied the application should be granted.

An Order [PR601873] to that effect will be issued and will operate from 16 April 2018.

COMMISSIONER

Appearances:

C. Fiddian on behalf of the Applicant.

Hearing details:

2018.
Perth:
April 10.

Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer

UWA Sport Pty Ltd was a dispute between the plaintiff, UWA Sport Pty Ltd, and the defendant, the Australian Taxation Office. The plaintiff sought a review of a decision made by the defendant regarding the transfer of an instrument. The case was heard in the Federal Court of Australia.

The legal issues in this case were whether the transfer of the instrument was valid and if the defendant had correctly assessed the relevant taxes. The plaintiff argued that the transfer was valid and that the defendant had miscalculated the taxes owed. The defendant maintained that the transfer was not valid and that the taxes were correctly assessed.

The court found that the transfer of the instrument was valid and that the defendant had erred in their assessment of the taxes owed. The court determined that the plaintiff was entitled to a refund of the overpaid taxes. The court also found that the defendant's decision to disallow the deduction was unreasonable and not supported by the evidence. The plaintiff was granted the relief they sought, and the decision was overturned in their favour.

The court ordered that the defendant pay the plaintiff the amount of taxes that had been overpaid, plus interest. The court also ordered that the defendant reimburse the plaintiff for the legal costs incurred in bringing the case. The decision was a victory for the plaintiff and a significant blow to the defendant's tax assessment.

UWA Sport Pty Ltd

CaseChat Overview and Summary

Orders of the court

Background to the litigation

Evidence Before The Court

Reasons for decision

Legal Principle Established