Quirk v Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union

• Jurisdiction: Australia Federal only
• Court: Federal Court (Australia)
• Judgment Date: 17 December 2021
• Neutral Citation: [2021] FCA 1587
• Date: 17 December 2021

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Quirk v Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union [2021] FCA 1587

File numbers:	NSD 1344 of 2017NSD 1027 of 2018NSD 1028 of 2018
Judgment of:	PERRAM J
Date of judgment:	17 December 2021
Catchwords:	INDUSTRIAL LAW – registered organisations – where First Respondent registered under Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 (Cth) – where Applicants elected organisers of First Respondent – where Divisional Executive of First Respondent voted to remove Applicants for ‘gross misbehaviour’ under Rule 11 of Divisional Branch rules – where Applicants criticised Respondents in media and alleged serious misconduct and mismanagement – whether Rule 11 invalid – whether ‘gross misbehaviour’ included Applicants’ conduct – appropriate standard of review ; INDUSTRIAL LAW – adverse action – whether Applicants’ removal adverse action – whether Applicants’ conduct in speaking to media exercise of a ‘workplace right’, ‘industrial activity’ or ‘political opinion’ – whether adverse action taken ‘because’ of those matters ; STATUTES – Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) – interaction between s 363 and word ‘because’ in ss 340, 346 and 351 – where adverse action taken by vote – meaning of ‘political opinion’ in s 351 ; CONTRACTS – implied term that employment coextensive with Applicants’ elected office – whether joint employment by First and Second Respondents – whether contract repudiated – appropriate relief
Legislation:	Constitution s 117 Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) s 15A Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) ss 12, 97, 340, 341, 342, 346, 347, 351, 361, 363, 386 Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 (Cth) ss 5, 9, 140, 141, 142, 164, 164A, 164B Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW) Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic) s 6 Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW) s 151A
Cases cited:	Associated Provincial Picture Houses Ltd v Wednesbury Corporation [1948] 1 KB 223 Australian Workers Union v Bowen (No 2) (1948) 77 CLR 601 Blackadder v Ramsey Butchering Services Pty Ltd [2002] FCA 603; 118 FCR 395 Butler v Setches [2017] FCA 1538 Carrier Australasia v Hunt (1939) 61 CLR 534 Christie v Agricultural Societies Council of New South Wales Ltd [2015] NSWSC 1118 Comcare v PVYW [2013] HCA 41; 250 CLR 246 Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union v Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (The Bay Street Appeal) [2020] FCAFC 192; 282 FCR 1 Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Endeavour Coal Pty Ltd [2015] FCAFC 76; 231 FCR 150 Director-General of Education v Suttling (1987) 162 CLR 427 ET-China.com International Holdings Ltd v Cheung [2021] NSWCA 24 Fair Work Ombudsman v Foot & Thai Massage Pty Ltd (in liquidation) (No 4) [2021] FCA 1242 Fire & Rescue New South Wales v Public Service Association [2018] NSWIRComm 1066 Gould v Isis Club Incorporated [2015] QSC 253; [2016] 1 Qd R 363 Hill v Compass Ten Pty Ltd [2012] FCA 761; 205 FCR 94 Jarratt v Commissioner of Police for New South Wales [2005] HCA 50; 224 CLR 44 Katter v Melhem [2015] NSWCA 213; 90 NSWLR 164 Kop v The Home for Incurables [1970] SASR 139 Lamont v University of Queensland (No 2) [2020] FCA 720 Lane v Australian Workers’ Union (1938) 39 CAR 322 Lasarewitch v The Australian Railways Union (1955) 82 CAR 14 Luck v Chief Executive Officer of Centrelink [2015] FCAFC 75 Mahony v White [2016] FCAFC 160; 262 IR 221 Manns v Kennedy [2007] NSWCA 217; 37 Fam LR 489 McPaul v Williams (1990) 34 IR 288 Minister for Immigration and Citzenship v Li [2013] HCA 18; 249 CLR 332 Minister for Local Government v South Sydney City Council [2002] NSWCA 288; 55 NSWLR 381 Mohazab v Dick Smith Electronics Pty Ltd (No 2) (1995) 62 IR 200 Murray Irrigation Ltd v Balsdon [2006] NSWCA 253; 67 NSWLR 73 Mylan v Health Services Union NSW [2013] FCA 190 NAKX v Minister for Immigration & Multicultural & Indigenous Affairs [2003] FCA 1559 Patty v Commonwealth Bank of Australia [2000] FCA 1072; 101 FCR 389 PIA Mortgage Services Pty Ltd v King [2020] FCAFC 15; 274 FCR 225 Porter v Dugmore (1984) 3 FCR 396 Rumble v The Partnerhsip trading as HWL Ebsworth Lawyers [2019] FCA 1409; 289 IR 72 Sayed v Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union [2015] FCA 27; 327 ALR 460 Shea v TRUenergy Services Pty Ltd (No 6) [2014] FCA 271; 314 ALR 346 Tripp v Australasian Society of Engineers (1953) 78 CAR 149 Twist v Randwick Municipal Council (1976) 136 CLR 106 United Firefighters’ Union of Australia v Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board [2003] FCA 480; 123 IR 86 Wiseman v Professional Radio and Electronics Institute of Australasia (1978) 20 ALR 545 Wishart v Australian Builders Labourers’ Federation (1960) 2 FLR 298
Division:	Fair Work Division
Registry:	New South Wales
National Practice Area:	Employment and Industrial Relations
Number of paragraphs:	364
Date of last submissions:	Applicants: 27 October 2021 Respondents: 12 November 2021
Date of hearing:	9-26 March 2020 30 March 2020 2-3 June 2020 31 August 2020
Counsel for the Applicants:	Mr M Seck with Ms B Byrnes
Solicitor for the Applicants:	McArdle Legal
Counsel for the Respondents:	Mr B Walker SC with Mr B Docking
Solicitor for the Respondents:	Taylor & Scott Lawyers

ORDERS

NSD 1344 of 2017

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