Ward, Leonard Edward v Williams, Hughie

I. '

BETWEEN :

LEONARD

EDIJARD

bJARD,

GREGORY JOHN ' M Y ,

LAWRENCE JOHN TURNER, BRIAN STUART LEE,

LESLIE KONALD LEE, ROY LESLIE LINCOLW,

DOiTALi)

LYNALD

BARDEN, RONALD JAMS POTTER

and JOED CHARLES

PENEIALLURICK

A p p l i c a n t s

"D :

BUGHIE

WILLIAMS

, AT>LAR

PIcPAUL

, CLARENCE

ROHWEDER, ' GREGORY NEWTON, HENRY ASYLIN ,

STUART CEOSBY, DAVID PEARCE, KERVYN

:(ENDALL,

PETER THOXSON a n m 1 T S P E T E X

Responden t s

O R D E R

JUDGE ILPi?<ING ORDZR:

Neaves

J .

-	DATE 3F OXDDCR:	78 March	1 9 8 4
WHERE WiEE :	Canberra

I T 1s FEPGZBY ORDERED

- that Hughie Nilliams, Allan NcPau i ,

Clarecce

Rohweder ,

Gregory

Newton,

Henry

A s p l i n ,

S t u a r t

Crosby ,

Davidi P e a r c e ,

Mervyn

: < e n d a l l , P e t e r

Thornson

and

J o h n H i n s p e t e r

( " t h e

r e s p o n d e n t s " )

appear

before

the

F e d e r a l Court o f Austral ia

at Brisbane Ln the S t a t e of

Q u e e n s l a n d on a clate

ancl

time

to be n o t i f i e d t o the

p a r t 1 e . s t o

show cause why clrdcrs

s h o u l d not be made

undei-

s e c t l o n 141

{:he

C c n c l l i a t l o n a n d A r b i t r a t i o n

Act

1904

g i v i n g

d l r e c t j o n s

t h a t

t h e r e s p o n d e n t s o b s e r v e r u l e r .

2 2 , 3 0 , 22. 33 and 47 of

the

rules

the Transport

_ _

, : .orksrs'

L2ion of Aus t r a l i a and why

orders shollld no t

be made

i n terms of

sub-paragraphs

1 t o 11

inc lus ive o f

paragraph A of the appl ica t ion da ted

19 March 1984

f i l e d h e r e i n

behalf

o f Leonard Edvard

Ward,

Gregory

John Ray, Lawrence John Turner, Brian Stuart Lee, Leslie

Ronald Lee, Roy Lesl ie Lincoln,

Donald Lynald Barclen,

Ronald

Jarnes

P o t t e r

and

John Penhalluriclc ("the applicants")

AND

I T I S HEREBY FURTHER ORDERED

that pending the hear ing

and

determination

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

the respondents be restrained from giving effect

much

o f

t he r e so lu t ion

o f t h e Committee

of Management of

t h e Queensland Eranch

the Transport Workers'

Union of

Aus t r a l i a ca r r i ed

15 March

19Sh as p rov ides tha t

the Brisbane

Sub-B-ranch Secretary Eughie

Wllliams he appointed as a Branch Organizer;

a l l Branch Organizers performing

d u t y

i n

the Brisbane

Sub-Branch

a rea r epor t ve rba l ly

and

i n

wri t ing to the Brisbane

Sub-Branch

Secre ta ry on	a l l m a t t e r s , i n c l u d i n g	all
disputes ;

the Brisbane

Sub-Branch

Secre ta ry hax7e

f r e e

a c c e s s

t o

all sec t ions of t h e

Queensland Eranch Offices

and.

complete

access

to correspondence

and

documents

of t h e t h i s o rde r sha l l no t p reven t

Queensland Branch pro-qided, that.

the

Brisbane

Sub-Rranch

Secre ta ry havmg access to

the

membership

records of the Queensland

Branch r e l a t l n g t o the members

the

Brisbane

Sub-Branch;

and

the Queensland Branch

meke

a v a i l a b l e t o

the

Brisbzne

Sub-Sranch

Secretary

staff

a t p r e s e n t

employed by

the Queensland

Branch and

pelrEorming

duty l n t h e

Queensland

Granch

OfEices.

L .

&NE ZT 1s ?!!REBY

FURTHER ORDERED thar the costs of the

2ppliserLon be reserved.

3 .

BETWEEN :

A p p l i c a n t s

ALUD :

HUGHIE WILLIANS, ALLAN

McPAUL,

CLARENCE

ROHWEDER, GREGORY NEVTON , HENRY ASPLIN,

STUART CROSEY, DAVID PEARCE, MEKVYN

KENDALL,

PETER

THOHSOX

and JOHN E-IJNSPETER

Respondents

coRA1: :	Neaves J .
28 PIarch 1984
-	DATE :

REASONS

FOR

JUDGI4ENT

T h i s i s an application by Leonard

Edward Ward,

Gregory

John

Ray,

La r r r ence John Turne r ,

Brian

S t u a r t L e e ,

L e s l i e P,onald

L e e ,

Roy

L e s h e L i n c o l n , D o n a l d L y n a l d

Barden , Ronald

James

P o t r e r

and

John

Charles

P e n h a l l u r i c k

("the

a p p l l c a n t s " )

€or

r u l e

n i s i

c a l l l n g u p o n H u g h i e

I J i l l i a rns , Allan ?IcPaul,

Clarence

Rohweder ,

Gregory Newton,

Henry Asp l in , S tua r t Crosby , Dav id Pea rce , P i e rvyn Kenda l l . ,

?e te r

Thozson

and John Hinspeter

("the

respondents")

shcx c 2 s s why orders shoulci nor

be made under sect ion

141

t he Conc i l i a t ion

and

Arb i t r a t ion Act

1 9 0 4

("the Act")

giving directions

for the performance or observance

the

rcspondents

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

the Transport Workers'

Union of Australia

("the

Union").

The

app l i can t s

a l so

seek iEterim orders pending the hearing

t h e rule -

nis i .

The Union

i s an

organiza t ion reg is te red pursuant

t o t h e Act.

There 1 s a branch oE t h e Union

knotm

a s t h e

Queensland

Branch.

That

branrh

i s

d iv ided

in to n ine

sub-

branches,

ose o f those sub-branches being

knovm as the

Brisbane

Sub-Branch.

Subject

the provis ions

the A c t ,

t h e supreme

cont ro l

t h e

Union

i s v e s t e d i n

Federal Council con-

s t i t u t e d by

representat ive or representat ives f rom each

branch (called Federal

Councillors)

and

the Fedexal

Secretary

and the Federal Counci l e lects

Ass is tan t

Federa

Secre ta ry

( sub- ru le

5 ( a ) ) .

The

Federal Comnittee

Management

( sub- ru le 5(c)

and

r u l e 2 3 ) .

Each branch

e lec ts

a Branch

Cormnlttee of Management

cons is t ing o f a

Branch P res iden t ,

Branch Vice-Yresident, Branch Secretary,

two

Trus tees

and

not less than 7 and not more than 11 Committeemen

(sub-

r u l e 5 ( g ) and

r u l e 3 0 ) .

The President,

Vice

President

Secre ta ry

and

Trus tees a re e lec ted

b a l l o t

o f

t h e ~ r h o l e

o f

t h e members

the branch

who

are

e l i g i b l e t o v o t e .

I n t h e

czss of

the

Queensland

Branch,

the

Committeemen

a r e -.lec:ed

a b a l l o t of the members

i n each sub-branch

who

a r e e l i g i b l e t o v o t e

on the iol lowing basis

Bris-

bane 4 ; Rockhampton 1; Wide

Bay

1; Toovoomba, Warwick and

Roma

1; Ipswich and Ringaroy

1 , and Northern Queensland

(sub-ru le 30(b) ) .

The

Branch

Committee

Management

che Queensland Branch,

therefore, consists of

1 4 members.

Each o f t he app l i can t s

i s a member

o f t he

Union.

A t

e l ec t ions r ecen t ly he ld fo r t he

Queensland Branch

( the

r e s u l t s o f

which were declared

9 March

1 9 8 4 ) , Mr.

Ward

was elected

Branch

Secrecary.

The

f u l l t i t l e

o f

h is

o f f i c e

IS “Secretary - Treasurer - Federal Committee of Manageaent -

Federal Council

Representative“ but,

for convenience,

shall

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

t h a t

Branch Secretary.

Messrs. Ray, Turner, B.S . Lee, L.R. Lee and Lincoln v7ere

e lec ted %ranch

Organizers

to carry out dut ies

i n

the

Brisbane Sub-Branch area or as directed

the Branch

Secre ta ry .

Mr.

Barden was

elected Branch Organizer

car ry out du t ies in the Ipswich

Sub-Branch

a r e a o r

d i r ec t ed by

t h e

Branch

Secretary.

M r .

P o t t e r

was

e lec t ed

Branch

Trustee.

Mr. PenhaL1uz)ick does

not

hold

any

o f f i c e

i n the

Queensland

Branch.

O f

t he

app l i can t s , on ly

Messrs. Vard,

Xarden

and

Po t t e r a r e

members

the

Branch

Committee o E Manegement .

the respondents ,

Nr, Wllliams, who previous ly

he ld o f f i ce

Branch Secretary,

was

defeated

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

I .

f o r :ht pos i t i on by Mr.

Ward.

Mr.

1-Jilliams r r a s , however,

e lecssd Srisbane

Sub-Branch

Secre ta ry ,

an honorary posi t ion

which h s had

held before

the elect ion. There

i s

evidence

that each of the other respondents

i s

member

o f t h e

Branch Committee of

Management

though

that evidence does

no t e s t ab l i sh

what

pos i t i on Mr.

Crosby holds which results

i n him being a member o f t ha t

committee.

15 March 1984 t h e Branch Committee

o f Manage-

ment,

major i ty of

v o t e s t o

5 ,

c a r r i e d a

r e s o l u t i o n

i n t h e f o l l o w i n g

terms

"That

i n view of the almost total change of

Organisers in the Br isbane

Sub-Branch and

the

considerable lack of experience

t h e newly-

e lec ted Organisers ,

and

tak ing in to cons idera t ion

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

will

have on

the rank

and

f i l e members,

pa r t i cu la r ly in the Br i sbane

Sub-Branch, t h i s BRANCH COMMiTTEE OF WINAGEPENT

DETEPJUNES -THAT -

The

Branch

s h a l l make

ava l lab le

t o the Brisbane

Sub-Branch Secretary, IIughie Williams

, Room

twenty-one

( 2 1 ) ,

F i r s t

Floor , Trades Hal l ,

Brisbane, for the purpose

conducting the

business, of the

Brlsbane sub-Branch.

Room

twenty-one

(21) w i l l a l so be u t i l i s e d

for

the

purpose

the

Brisbane

Sub-Branch

Executive Pketings.

Room Twenty-one

( 2 1 ) w i l l be suppl ied with

Committee

table for the conduct

t h e

Exec-

u t i v e

Sub-Branch Meetings, Office desk,

telephone,

and all necessary office equlpmenc

and

f u r n i t u r e t o

conducr

the

administratlon

and

business of

the

Brisbane

Sub-Branch.

The

Branch Secretary shal l

make

a v a i l a b l e t o

the

Brisbane

Sub-Branch,

the

necessary

meeting

rooms t o conduct

the

Branch

monthly

General

Meetings

t h a t a r e h e l d

the

first Friday of

each month,

and any other such meetings

that

may

be necessary to

be convened

T l i t h i n the

Brisbane

Sub-Branch.

The

Erisbane

Sub-Branch

Sec re t a ry sha l l have

f z z z x c e s s t o a l l

sections of

the

Queensland

E z a z h

Off ices , a lso the Brisbane

Sub-Branch

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

have ccmplete access

a l l

correspondence and documents t h a t may be re-

qu i r ed to ca r ry

out

his necessary

d u t i e s .

The

Brisbane Sub-Branch Secretary

i s

au thor i sed

to dea l d i r ec t w i th the Un ion ' s So l i c i to r s

McCrossan

Douglas

a l l m a t t e r s p e r t a i n i n g

to the Br i sbane

Sub-Branch and

i t s members,

provided that

a l l cos ts incur red

are

au thor i sed

by t h e Branch Conmittee

o f Management.

All

Brisbane Sub-Branch Organisers

shall

r e p o r t

ve rba l ly

and

i n w r i t i n g

the Br isbane

Sub-

Branch Secretary on

a l l matters,

inc luding a l l

d isputes .

The Brisbane

Sub-Branch

Secretary

will

n o t i f y t h e

Branch Secretary

a l l t hese

mat te rs .

The

Brisbane Sub-Branch Secretary shall be

Co-

ordinator and

Minuce

Secre ta ry o f

the Transpor t

Workers'

Union

Safe ty

Committee,

and

t h e Trans-

por t Workers Union	- TUTA Trade Union	Tra in ing
Committee.

The

Sub-Branch

Sec re t a ry sha l l

call t h e above

Meetings

deemed necessary.

sha l l

fo rward

the copies of

a l l minutes to

the

Branch

Secre ta ry .

The

Brisbane Sub-Branch Secretary shall be

com-

p e t e n t t o

make

press statements on

a l l m a t n e r s

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

The

Branch

sha l l con t inue to

lnake

a v a i l a b l e t o

the 3 r i sbane

Sub-Branch

Secre ta ry any

necessary

o f f i ce s t aEf

which

t r i l l

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

Stenographer

ar,d

Clerk/Typis t for the purpose

of a t tending

t o

correspondence, membership

records ,

and

any

other purpose necessary to

administer the Brisbane

Sub-Branch.

The

S t a f f ,

as mentioned, shal l

immediately responsible

the

Br i sbane

Sub-Branch

Secretary.

A l l

correspondence

to the Brisbane Sub-Branch shall

immediately be

forwarded

t o the Brisbane

Sub-

Branch

Secretary

f o r h i s

a tnen t ion

acd a c t i o n .

, ,

The

Branch

s h a l l make

avaihbl -e a

te lephone a t

the res idence

and

a t t he oEf i ce

o f

the Brisbane

Sub-Branch Secre ta ry , and shall pay all Union

c a l l s and

the r en t

SI such telephones.

5 .

-1

L E

Sranch sha l l cont inue to

make

a v a i l a b l e

=he

Brisbane Sub-Branch Secretary

the

.-.

t.rarLci Notor Vehicle, Ford, Registration

No.

7450xi,

and

s h a l l

pay

fo r t he fue l and

mainrenance

costs.

This

Branch

Committee

tlanagement

f u r t h e r

determines

that

in pursuance to Rule

3 0 ,

Che

Brisbane

Sub

Branch Secretary Hughie John

Nilliams be appointed as

a Branch Orga?'

L I s e r .

s h a l l be

domiciled i n Brisbane and carry

out organis ing

duties

i n a l l p a r t s o f

t h e

Brisbane

Sub-Branch.

s h a l l

a s s i s t

a l l	o ther mat te rs re levant to the Branch .
The	Organ i se r , hav ing r ega rd fo r a l l o the r

r e spons ib i l i t i e s , e .g . Br i sbane

Silb-Eranch

Secre ta ry

and

all

o the r du t i e s a s p rev ious ly

o u t l i n e d , s h a l l

paid

s a l a r y

and allowance

equa l t o

that

pa id to the

Branch

I n d u s t r i a l

Research Officer as detei-mined	by	t h e	Branch
Committee of Management.

s h a l l

e n t i t l e d

t o

r e t a i n a l l a c c r u e d

Annual Leave, Sick Leave and

Long

Serv

ice

Leave

and he

sha l l cont inue

a c c r u e a l l

such leave

i n accordance with the

Rules and

Pol icy of

t h e Union.

The Eranch Secretary will ensure that

izhe

necessa ry Cer t i f l ca t e s

Author i t i e s a re

immediately supplied

to a l l Organisers and

Off icers , whether e lected or appointed.

He xi11 t ake up

h l s du t ies

as above, com-

mencing on Friday, 16 th March,

1984. "

The

app l i can t ' s con tec t ion

i s that

in ca r ry ing

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

Branch Committee

of Management

was

ac t ing

breach

the

les

the

Union.

The a-ctack

upon

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

i s p u t

i n

two trays.

F i r s t , it i s

sa id tha t t he r e so lu t ion con ta ins s ign i f i can t pa r t s

which

a re con t r a ry to the ru l e s

and

t h a t

i t s

p rov i s ions a re

inter locked

that

conceding

that

sone

p a r t s of

i t

a r e

cons is ten t

~ r i t - h

the rules ,

those par

cannot

be severed

t h a t

t h e

whole

r e s o l u t i o n

f a l l s .

A l t e r n a t i v e l y

i t

i s

6 .

se id

t l x t s p e c i f i c p a r t s

the resolution should be

s e t

asit%

be ing con t r a ry to the ru l e s .

The	cons idera t ions re levant to the ques t ion

whether

r u l e

n i s i -should

g r a n t e d

d i f f e r from those

relevant

t o t h e g r a n t ,

assuming

r u l e i s t o i s s u e ,

in te r im re l ie f pending the f ina l de te rmina t ion of the

i s sues .

The former

question

depends

upon

the

appl icants

s a t i s f y i n g

the

Court that there

i s

an arguable issue or

a rguable i ssues in d ispute be tween the par t ies

i n

r e l a t i o n

to vh ich the app l i can t s

are

ent i t led

t o have

opportunity

t o p r e s e n t

argument

and

obta in a

decision of the Court:

see Geneff v. Pe tersen (1980) 4 9 F.L.R.

64 .

The appl icants

concede

t h a t ,

t o o b t a i n

i n t e r i m r e l i e f ,

t h e y

must

show

t h a t t h e r e

i s

probab i l i t y tha t t he app l l ca t ion

??ill

succeed

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

same:

Beecham Group L t d . v .

Er l s to l

Labora tor ies

P t y .

L t d .

(19SG) 118 C.L.R. 618:

but

see

The

Commonwealth

of Austl-alla

v. John

Fairfax

Sons L t d .

(1980) 1 4 7 C .L .R .

a t p.

and

The

Axstralian Coarse Grain Pool Pty.

L t d .

The

Barlev

Marketing

Board

Queensland

(1952)

A . L . J . R .

425.

The

appl ica t ion for the gran t

a r u l e n l s l

was

not made -

ex pa r t e a s Order

4 ,

sub-rule

15(3)

t h e r u l e s

t h i s

Court permit but

upon

not ice to the respondents .

The

appl lca t ion i s supported by

an a f f i d a v i t sworn by Mr.

Ward and

upon

which

17as cross-examined.

Oral evldence

was

given for the respondents

by Mr.

Hinspeter and by

:.I~SS

?L.?.

Johnson,

employee

the Queensland Branch

of t>e Znion.

The respondents

oppose

the naking of

r u l e -

n i s i and also contend that ,

i f a rule n i s i be issued,

case hes been

made

f o r t h e g r a n t o f I n t e r i m r e l i e f .

an applicacion such

t h i s it

i s inappropr ia te

t o

deal

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

any

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

i s necessary

f o r

an understanding of the issues which

now

a r i s e f o r

dec is ion .

There

i s evidence before

m e t ha t , a l t hough

izhe

Queensland Branch Secretary

i s

e lec ted

t h e members

of the

branch who Secre ta ry i s e l ec t ed by

a r e e l i g i b l e t o v o t e

and

the Brisbane

Sub-Branch

t h e members

that sub-branch,

t h e

s i t u a t i o n f o r

many

years has

been

t h a t t h e

same

person has

been e lec ted

to both of f ices .

A s

already

appears

that

pa t te rn of vo t ing d id not

emerge

a t t he r ecen t e l ec t ion ,

Hr. Ward Secretary and

defea t ing Mr.

Willj.ams

fo r t he pos i t i on o f

Branch

Mr.

Williams defeatmg

Mr.

17ard f o r t h e

pos i t i on

Secretary of the Brisbane Sab-Branch.

H i s to r i ca l ly the a f f a l r s o f t he Br i sbane

Sub-

Branch have been

administered from the ofEices

the

Queensland Branch

i n t h a t c i t y

and

the sub-branch has not

had separate Branch d iEfers from

premises

this

respect

the

Brisbane

Sub-

some

the other sub-branches where

off ice premises are provlded

the Queensland Branch

for

a .

zho

irse

the honorary secretary of the sub-branch,

t h e

s:?-grEnch

executive

and

the branch organizer per-

forming dut ies

the a rea .

The

mode

of operat ing

the

Brisbane Sub-Branch

was no doubt a convenient one when

the Queensland Branch Secretary also occupled the honorary

o f f i c e of

Brisbane

Sub-Eranch

Secretary.

The

records

maintained

in respect of the

membership

the Brisbane

Sub-Branch

are

kept

a t

t he o f f i ce o f t he

Queensland Branch

and

the records

so main ta ined are the only

set

records

kept

i n respec t of the

membership

o f

that sub-branch.

Other sub-branches maintain the records relating to sub-

branch mezbership and

copy

those records

i s kept a t

t h e o f f i c e

t h e

Queensland Branch.

It of 15 March 1984 must be considered.

i s aga ins t

t h i s

background tha t

t he r e so lu t ion

The

main

t h r u s t

the appl icants ' a t tack on

the resolut ion concerns those par ts

.which

purport to

appoint Kr. Williams as a Branch

Organizer

~ r i t h

sa la ry

and allowance,

rrhich

purport

to give

him

Eree access to a l l

sections of the Queensland Eranch Offices, which dlrect

tha t he car ry out

organising

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

the

Brisbane Sub-Eranch and

a s s l s t i n

a l l

other mat ters re levant

t o t h e

Queensland 2ranch and require

that

a l l Brisbane

Sub-Branch Organizers report verbally

and

i n w r i t i n g t o

him

a l l m a t t e r s , i n c l u d l n g a l l d i s p u t e s , w i t h

an obllgation

9 .

-..--

o n

MT.

' . ! ~ ~ ~ i . a m s t o n o t i f y t h e

Branch Secretary

of a l l

sucn	r i 1 2 C Z 2 Z S .

In suppor t o f the submiss ion tha t those par t s of

t he r e so lu t ion

are

con t ra ry to the ru l e s , t he app l i can t s

r e f e r t o r u l e s 2 2 ( b )

(iii)

2 2 ( g ) ,

30 (d) ( T V ) ,

3 0 ( e ) , 3 2 ( e ) ,

and

33(a) (vi i ) .

Those ru les provide

"22 (b)

Subjec t

para (a) hereof

person

i s

e l i g i b l e t o h o l d t h e o f f i c e

.of

(yhether e l ec t ed o r

(iii) Organizer

appoin ted) ; i f he

i s a

f i n a n c i a l member

the

Union

cont inuous ly for the prev ious

three years

and

i s

f inanc ia l a t

the

ime of

his

nominat

ion for

lect

ion (or

appointment

the case

may

be) but not otherwise."

"22 (g)

person

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

nominate

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

than one

o f f i c e

where the off ices concerned are

fu l i - t ime sa l a r i ed o f f i ces . "

"30 (d )

1~7ithout l imi t ing its powers

i n any

v7ay

each Branch Committee cf

Manage-

ment	s h a l l have power	to :
...

(%v)

Determine

whether

organizers

s h a l l

e lec ted or appoin ted

and t h e numbsr of such

o r g m i -

z e r s ,	and	to	reduce	the	number
T T

a t any t ime;

"30 (e)

All

paid ofElcers , Organizers

and employees of

Eranch

s h a l l be

sub jec t

t o the con t ro l

and

direction of

the

Branch

Committee of Xanagement as expressed through

the

Eranch

Secretary."

"32

The

d u t i e s o f ... Eranch

Organizers

s h a l l be

as hereunder:

.....

1 0 .

( S )

Organizers :

(i) Branch

Orgznizers

shall

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

t h e

Branch Cornittee of

Hanagement .

(ii) Branch

Organizers

s h a l l

assist

i n t h e

work

of the Branch gen-

e r a l l y ,

and

d ischarge such dut ies

a s may

a l l o t t e d t o

them by

t h e

Branch

Secretary.

A l l moneys

co l lec ted

them

s h a l l b e p a i d

ove r t o the

Branch

Secre ta ry

I ,

within one

week

c o l l e c t i o n .

“33 (a)

E l e c t i o n s

s h a l l

be held i n 1979

and every three years thereaf te r for the fo l low-

ing	Branch	Cf f i ce r s	and	representa t ives :
1

....

[v i i )

Branch Orgsriizers i n e a c h Branch which has de temined tha t an e lec t ioa

I ,

i s r equ i r ed to

f i l l such pos i t ions .

The

app l i can t s a rgue tha t t he

rules,

t h e i r

p roper cons t ruc t ion , requi re tha t

choice be

made

t h e

Branch Cornittee

of FIanagement whether Branch Organizers

a r e t o

be elected or appointed

and

tha t , apa r t f rom the

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

i s

casual vacancy to

f i l l e d

f o r which

rule

34 makes

provis ion ,

i t i s not permiss ib le

t o have

sone

elected

and some appointed

organizers.

The

pos i t ion be lng tha t

all pos i t ions

Branch Organizer

were

r e c e n t l y f i l l e d

e lec t ion ,

the appl icants submi t

that

the appointment

Mr.

Williams rrithout election

C O

such

pos i t ion

i s

incons i s t en t w i th

the

ru l e s .

i t

i s

pointed owt

t h a t , a s

Mr.

Williams normnated

for

election

t o

t he sa l a r i ed fu l l - t lme pos i t i on

of Branch Secretary,

’ne could nor: under the rules

have nominated f o r or been

electsd

office

Branch

Organizer

(sub-rule

2 2 ( g ) )

::CS

zrgued

tha t , un le s s t he cons t ruc t ion o f

the

r u l e s

conten6ed f o r by

appl icants i s accepted,

the r u l e s 170uld

be	con t r l ry to sec t ion 133(1 ) ( a ) o f t he Ac t .

n o t s a t i s f i e 6 t h a t t h i s

l a t te r

submission

can be r e so lved the ques t ion whe the r t he ru l e s on the i r p rope r

sustained

b u t t o s a y t h i s ,

o f

course,

leaves 1.111-

construction have the

meaning whlch

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

seek

t o a s c r i b e t o

them.

For

the app l i can t s

i t

i s

a l so submi t t ed tha t

t he

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

i l r .

bJilliams

Eull-t ime

s t a t u s i n t h e

Queensland Branch Office and

that

i n so

f a r

i t

does

and

con ta ins p rov l s ions anc i l l a ry to tha t

e leva t ion

con t r a ry to the ru l e s r e l a t ing to the

posit ion

Branch

Secretary.

i s said

t h a t

t h e p r o -

v i s ions of the

rules

conferr ing

porrei-s

and

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

t h e

Branch

Secre ta ry a re such tha t

i s

proper ly

descr ibed as the ch ief adnin is t ra t ive of€ icer

t h e

Queensland

Branch.

?,eference

i s made t o a number of

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

s u p p o r t i n g t h i s v i m

the

Branch Secretary's posit ion but for present purposes

i s

s u f f l c i e n t

t o

r e f e r

t o s u b - r u l e s

30(a) ,

30 (e ) , 32 (c )

and	32(e) (ii).

Sub-rule

30(a)

provldes

that

the

Branch

Secretary

i s t o be a member

of the Eranch

Committee o f Management by

1 2 .

v i r t u e

his

holding the off ice of Branch Secretary.

The t s x

r 2 f

sub-rules

30 (e ) and

32(e) (ii)

have

a l ready

been

sec

cut.

Sub-rule

32(c)

provides

"32 .

The dut les

Branch

OEficers

.... s h a l l be

as hereunder.

. . . .

(c )

Secre ta ry :

The

Branch

Secretary

s h a l l be

competent

to d ischarge

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

him

t h e

Branch Commlttee of

Management,

and

s h a l l a t t e n d

a l l meetings connected

with

the

Branch

when prac t icable .

sha l l a t t end to a l l co r re spondence ,

keep

a copy of

a l l l e t t e r s and r r i r e s

despatched.

s h a l l give an o f f i c i a l

r e c e i p t f o r

all moneys

received,

and

bank

such moneys

t o t h e c r e d i t

o f

t h e

Branch a t

l e a s t

weekly.

s h a l l

keep a l l documents

books

and

accounts

re la t ing

the

business

the

Branch.

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

members,

pa r t i cu la r ly to those

who

a r e i n

a r r ea r s

t he i r

dues .

s h a l l

hand over t o t h e

Branch Auditor

a l i

proper ty , books,

documents

and

moneys

belonging to the

Branch

within twenty-four hours

or'

being

requested to

so by

r e so lu t lon

passed a t

any meeting

of the Branch

Comiiittee

Management.

s h a l l

fur

ther

discharge such dut

ies

may

a l l o c a t e d t o

him

from time

t o time by t h e Branch

Committef:

'fiianagement.

s h a l l , i f deemed

necessary,

ind securi

in such

sum

the

Branch Commlttee

Nanagement may decide,

the premium

t o be paid by t h e Branch.

s h a l l

be allowed

a sum not exceeding $100

as determined

the Branch Comit tee

of Xanagement

from time

t o t i n e .

Such

moun t ,

once determlned,

shall

be reimbursed by cheque dra1.m from

the

Branch

Bank

account for pet ty

cash , to

be drawn by

chequc

from

t h e

Branch

General

Fund

account.

T h e

Sec re t a ry sha l l

custodian

t h e

moveable property oE the Branch.

Notwlthstandmg

anythmg

contained

e l sewl l r re in these ru les he sha l l

a l so

in sole charge of the

Branch

o f f i c e and

those

employees

connected with the

r.jorlc

thereof ."

The

r e so lu t ion

i s

s a i d

t o erode the funct ions

which

t h e r u l e s c o m i t

t o

t h e

Branch

Secre ta ry .

The

submission

i s

pu t t ha t , r ead ing the r e so lu t ion

whole

inc luding ,

i n par t icular ,

the preamble,

M r .

Williams'

appointmenc was

made

not

that he could undertake

what

may

descr ibed as the ordinary tucies of

Branch Organizer

i n

the Brisbane

Sub-Branch

a rea o r a s d i r ec t ed

by the Branch

Sec re t a ry bu t i n o rde r t ha t he

mighr:

occupy

p o s i t i o n a s

an intersediary between the

Branch

Secre ta ry and

t h e

Branch

Organizers performing duty

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

Sub-Branch

a rea ,

thus breaking the chain

o f

ccnunand

cha t the ru les prescr ibe .

Such

ap?ointment

i s

s a i d t o

be contrary

sub-rules

32 ( c )

and

32 ( e ) (ii)

submission

i s

a l so

made

t h a t t h e r e s o l u t i o n ,

i n so fer as i t provides

for

the appointment

o€ Hr.

Williams

as the co -o rdmato r

and minute secretary

of the Transport

Workers'

iinion Safety

Committee

and

the Transport Workers'

Union - TLTA Trade Union Training Committee with power t o

call

meetings

those committees

deemed necessary i s

beyond

the powers of

the Branch

C o n l t t e e o f

Management.

Reference

1 s

made

to sub- ru le 32(c) .

The	app l i can t s a l so a t t ack tha t pa r t o f t he

r e s o l ~ : z 5 ~

purpor t ing to aa tho r i se

Fir-

Williams

t o i s s u e

press sca tenents . the Qceensland Branch

They

r e f e r

t o

a reso lu t ion passed

Committee of Management on 1 6 Feb-

ruary

1 9 8 4

ths fol lot i ing terms

“That the policy

t h i s

Union

in r e spec t o f

Press Statements being

made

i s t h a t t h e

Branch

Secre ta ry be

s o l e l y r e s p o n s i b l e f o r

a l l media

scatements and releases.

The

ap?lFcants a lso

refer

;ab-rule

47(c) which prescribes

a	procsdure to be fol lowed for the recansiderat ion of the

s u b j e c r a a t t e r o f

any

resolution of the Branch

Committee

of Management,

a procedure which

was c lear ly not fo l lowed

i n t h e i n s t a n t c a s e .

The

respondents concede

that

the

procedures

prescr ibed by

r u l e

57ere

not follorred and have stated

to the Cour t t he i r i n t en t ion no t

t o

proceed

to implement

tha t pa r t o f t he	resolution	pending the f inal determinat ion
of the matter .

The

respondents contend

that

the appl

icants‘

submlsslons

(other

than

that

12st

r e f e r r e d t o )

f a i l t o

g ive due weight

t o the p rov i s lons

of sub-ru le

30(a)

providing that the Branch Corni t tee of

Management

i s ,

sub jecc to the ru l e s ,

t o

have control of

a l l

business

oE the t o o p e r a t e

Union

wi th in the a rea

over

which

i t

1 s

cons t i tu ted

and

sub-rule 30(e) providing

t h a t

a l l paid

ofEicers , organizers and	employees a r e .sub-ject t o t h e
15

concrs l 2-5

d i r e c t i o n of the Branch Commlttee

of Hanage-

l e n t

1 s =->:-Pressed through

the

Branch

Secretary.

The

appl icEncs respod th2t sub- ru le 30(a)

i s

expressed

subjec t

t o t h e r u l e s

cannot operate

to cut

doxm

the

s p e c i f i c powers

given

tothe

Branch

Secretary.

A s

t o

sub-

ru l e 30 (e ) t he app l i czn t s s ay tha t t he r e so lu t ion

does not

g i v e t h e

Branch Secrezary instruction as to

how

should

per form his fu lc t ions

o r

e x e r c i s e h i s

powers under

the

ru l e s bu t pu rpor t s t o cake	powers	away	from h i n	and	confer
them upon Mr. Williams.

It i s not a?.

easy task

t o reconci le what appear

t h e s u r f a c e t o

confl ic t ing provis ions of the rules

in def ln ing the respecc lve powers , func t ions

and

dut ies

t h e Branch Secretar::

and

the

Branch

Committee

Management. In essenc2,

the

dlfferences

between

the

p a r t i e s

would

appear

t o

stem from the emphasis +Ich

they

r e spec t ive ly p l ace on ua r t i cu la r p rov i s ions

t h e

r u l e s .

Both the app l i can t s

a ~ d

the

respondents

concede

chat

each

r u l e must

read

i n

contes t

o f

the

ru les

as a whole.

The appl icants ,

hov.ever,

s r y t h a t

t h e

s p e c i f l c

r u l e s

ident i fy lng the func t ions

o f

the var ious Srznch of f ic ia l s

a r e n o t t o

read

doxx

r e fe rence to the gene ra l

powers

conferred upon the

Brezch

Comnittee

o f

Managemen:.

For

the

respondents

the

po:;ers of the Branch Commlctee of

Efanagement are sa id

to be paramount.

16.

Xhat I have

sald

i s ,

t h i n k , s u f i i c l e n t t o

sho7.i ~ 5 2 ~

there

are

arguable

issues

between the par

ies

which

should

the subJecc o f f ina l r e so lu t ion

the

Court.

I , therefore ,

propose

accede

the

appl icants '

r e q u e s t t h a t

r u l e nisi be

i ssued .

a m

a l so

opinion that the appl icants have

shoIm

su f f i c i en t ly s t rong case

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

some

aspec ts

o f t he r e so lu t ion

t o

amount

t o

p robab i l i t y ( in the sense

exp la ined in

Beecham

Group

Ltd. v.

B r i s t o l

Laboraror les

P ty . L td . ( sup ra ) )

t ha t a t

t he hea r ing they

will

be held

e n t l t l e d

t o

r e l i e f .

I n

r e a c h i n g

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

have

n o t ,

course, underteken

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

i ssues .

The

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

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

xhich I have

rcached

this

conclusion are those par ts of

i t

uhlch

purport

to appolnr:

Hr. NIlliams as a Branch Organizer

and

t o d i r e c t t h e o t h e r

Branch Organizers perforning

du ty

the Brisbane

Sub-Branch

a r e a t o r e p o r t t o

him

and

not

t o t h e

Branch Secretary

and those par ts of

i t which purport

give Mr.

Nil l iams free access

t o

a l l s e c t i o n s of the

Queensland Branch offices and require that stafE

2 t

present

employed i n

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

made

ava i l ab le

the S r i sbane

Sub-Eranch Secretary

and be

r e spons ib l e to

him.

not satlsr 'xed chat

the

applicants

have

shown

su f f i c i en t ly s t rong case

respec t of o ther par t s

the re so lu t ion

(assumrng a s I

f o r t h i s

purpose

that

I t s

par ts

are

sexrerable)

par t icular

not

s a t i s f i e d

1 7 .

I n rss32c1

those

parts

of the reso lu t ion tha t purpor t

co meke

avEilable to the Brisbane

Sub-Branch

Secretary

room

2 1 ,

?irst

Floor, Trades

H a l l ,

Brisbane

(with

appropriate

f ac i l i t i e s t he re in ) fo r t he pu r?ose o f conduc t ing the bus iness (including meetings) of the Brisbane Sub-Lranch and i t s

o f f i c e r s

and

those pa r t s o f t he r e so lu t ion

which

would

give the Brisbane

Sub-Branch

Secre ta ry access to the

only se t o f

membership

r eco rds in ex i s t ence r e l a t ing to

members

o f

t ha t

Sub-Branch.

I n t h e

l i g h t

t h e

a t t i t u d e

taken by pu rpor t ing to au tho r i se

the respondents to t&c par t of the resolut ion

F I r .

Williems

t c i s s u e p r e s s s t a t e -

ments I r e l i e f i n r e l a t i o n t h e r e t o .

have

need

to cons ider the ques t ion of In te r im

The balance of convenience seems t o me

t o

favour the gran t of in te r im re l le f

t o

t he app l i can t s i n

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

or‘

those par t s

the

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

above

in respec t of

wh.r’ch I

have

concluded that thc appl lcants hme

shovm

p robab i l i t y

t h a t a t

che hearing they

will

h e l d e n t i t l e d

t o r e l i e f .

For these reasons I

order tha t a r u l e -

n i s i

i s sue ca l l i ng

upon the respondents

t o show cause on a

da te

and

a t

time

t o be

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

why

orders should not be

made

under sectlon

141

t h e

Act

that

the

respondents

observe

rules

2 2 ,

30 ,

3 2 ,

33 and

the rules

the

Union and orders

terms

of those

set

out

in sub-paragraphs

1 t o 11 inc lus ive of paragraph A

18.

‘

r 1

o r zr-2 ~ ~ ~ L c a t i o n

datecl

1 9 March

1984

f i l e d i n t h e s e

prcczs&:-=s

on beha1.f

o f the appl icants .

fur ther order

thar.

cke

respondents be res t ra ined unt l l the f ina l de te r -

mination

t h i s matter

or furcher order

from

g iv ing e f f ec t

t o so much

of the reso lu t lon

t h e Committee

Management

t h e Queensland Branch of the

Union

ca r r i ed

15 March

1984

provides

that

(1)

the

Brisbane

Sub-Branch Secre ta ry Hughie

Wi1liar.s be apTointed as

Branch Organizer;

(2 )

a l l Branch

Organizers

performing

duty

i n

the Brisbane Sub-Brmch area report

verbally

and

i n wr i t ing to the Br isbane

Sub-Branch

Secre ta ry	on	a l l m a t t e r s , i n c l u d i n g	a l l
d isputes ;

(3)

the

Brisbane

Sub-Brznch Secretary

have

f r ee access

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

Queensland Branch Offices

and complete

access

to correspondence

and

documents

of the Queensland Branch provided that

t h i s o rde r sha l l no t p reven t t h s Br i sbane

Sub-Branch Secretary ha-ring access to

the membership records of the Queensland

Branch

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

members

of the

Brisbane

Sab-Branch;

and

(4)

t h e Queensland

Branch

make

aval lab le

the Brisba&

Sub-Branch

Sec re t a ry s t a f f

a t p re sen t

employed

the Queensland

Eranch and performing duty

i n t h e

Queensland

Eranch

Offlces.

The	cos ts of the appl ica t lon a re reserved .

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

and

the preceding

eighteen (18) pages a r c a t r u e copy of

the Keasoss f o r Judgment herein 01 the

Ilonourable

! v i r

Jus’ij cc:

Neaves.

28 March

1 9 S &

- .

I	I Assoclate

19.

[1984] FCA 60

28 Mar 1984