1

[ExtractfromQueenslandGovernmentIndustrialGazette,

dated6January,2006,Vol.181,No.1,page54-56]

QUEENSLANDINDUSTRIALRELATIONSCOMMISSION

IndustrialRelationsAct1999 - ss.274and331(b)applicationtodismiss

LouandaEnterprisesPtyLtdandJasakHoldingsPtyLtdANDRickyMonion(B/2005/1177)

VICEPRESIDENTLINNANE / 15December2005

Applicationtostrikeout - Claimforreinstatement - Repeatedfailuretoadheretodirectionsorders - Historyoffailuretofollowdirectionsinotherjurisdiction - Failuretoappearatinterlocutoryproceedingsandattheapplicationtostrikeout - Applicationtostrikeoutgranted - IndustrialRelationsAct1999ss.274and331(b)(ii).

DECISION

[1]ThisisanapplicationbyLivingstones(Australia)beingauthorisedtorepresentLouandaEnterprisesPtyLtdandJasakHoldingsPtyLtd(Applicants)pursuanttos.274ands.331(b)(ii)oftheIndustrialRelationsAct1999(Act). TheapplicationseekstohavetheCommissiondismissand/orstrikeoutapplicationB646of2005asfurtherproceedingsarenotnecessaryordesirableinthepublicinterest.

[2]B646of2005isanapplicationbyRickyMonionseekingreinstatementtohisformerpositionofShedHandwiththeApplicants. Thatapplicationwasfiledon26April2005. Abriefhistoryoftheprogressofthisapplicationisasfollows:

  • theoriginals.75Conferencewasheldon23May2005beforeCommissionerEdwards;
  • as.75oftheActCertificatewasissuedbyCommissionerEdwardson23May2005;
  • arequestforthemattertoproceedtoarbitrationwasreceivedfromMrMonionon16June2005;
  • thematterwaslistedforCallOveron30June2005;
  • therewasarequestforafurtherConferencewhichwasscheduledfor19July2005beforeCommissionerEdwards;
  • MrMonionthenrequestedthatthefurtherConferencescheduledfor19July2005becancelled;
  • theConferencewasthenrescheduledfor3August2005;
  • theissueofthecorrectemployerscouldnotberesolvedatConferenceandthatissuewasreferredtoCallOversothatthemattercouldberesolved;
  • thenoticeofCallOverwasmailedtoMrMonion'spostaladdresson29August2005;
  • aCallOverofthematterwaslistedfor8September2005;
  • MrMonionfailedtoattendtheCallOverandfailedtoreturnanycorrespondenceinrespectoftheCallOver;
  • theFurtherDirectionsOrderemanatingfromtheCallOverwaspostedtoMrMonionon8September2005;
  • thatFurtherDirectionsOrderrequiredMrMoniontosupplyalistofdocumentsinhispossessionorunderhiscontrolrelevanttoamatterinissueintheproceedingsby12September2005,tosupplycopiesofthosedocumentswhichtheApplicantsinthismatterrequestedby14September2005andtofileandservestatementsofevidencefromallwitnessestobecalledandwhichheintendedtorely,by21September2005inrespectofapreliminaryhearingtodeterminethecorrectemployer. ThathearingwasscheduledbeforeDeputyPresidentBloomfieldon3October2005;
  • MrMoniondidnotcomplywiththosedirections;
  • on26September2005DeputyPresidentBloomfieldlistedB646of2005formentionbecause,ashestatedontranscript,of "thepersistentfailureofMrMoniontocomplywithdirectionsorders". AtthathearingtheApplicantsinthismattersoughttohaveB646of2005dismissedunders.42(2)(a)oftheIndustrialRelations(Tribunals)Rules2000;
  • MrMoniondidnotattendthathearingon26September2005. ThetranscriptoftheproceedingsindicatetheattemptsmadebyDeputyPresidentBloomfieldandRegistrystafftohaveMrMonionappear;
  • DeputyPresidentBloomfieldindicatedthat,becauseoftheactionsofMrMonion,hewastemptedtostrikethematteroutbutdidnotdosoasthematterbeforehimwasapreliminarymatteronly. DeputyPresidentBloomfieldthenvacatedthehearingdateonthepreliminarymatterandinlightofcorrespondencefromMrMonionwasabletodeterminethecorrectemployers.TheDeputyPresidentthenreservedtheissueofcostsandreferredthematterbacktomyselfsothatdirectionscouldbegivenforthefurtherconductofthematter;
  • thematterwasagainlistedfordirectionson5October2005. WhencontactedaboutthedirectionshearingMrMonionindicatedthathecouldnotattendinpersonandthathewouldonlybeavailableonamobiletelephone. InnormalcircumstancesIwouldnothaveconductedahearingonamobiletelephonebutgivenwhathadoccurredbeforeDeputyPresidentBloomfieldIagreedtohavethedirectionshearingwithMrMoniononthemobile;
  • on5October2005MrMonionwasnotabletobecontactedonhismobiletelephone - itsimplywenttomessagebank. IthenconductedashorthearingwhichwasrecordedonMrMonion'smessagebank. IorderedthatMrMoniondisclosealistofdocumentsinhispossessionorunderhiscontrolby10October2005. MrMonionwaswarnedonthisoccasionthatfailuretocomplywiththatdirectionwouldmeanthattheApplicantsinthismattercouldmaketheapplicationthatiscurrentlybeforeme;
  • acopyofthatdirectionwaspostedtoMrMonionon5October2005;
  • MrMoniondidnotcomplywiththatdirection;
  • at5.22pmonFriday7October2005MrMonionleftamessageonthevoicemailofaRegistryofficer.ThatmessagewasonlyreceivedbytheofficeronTuesday11October2005. ThemessagefromMrMonionsoughtanextensionoftimeofafurthermonthinordertoenablehimtoprovidealistofdocuments. Iinstructedthatofficer,MsLornaMcMaster,toadviseMrMonionthatIwouldextendthetimetocloseofbusinesson12Octoberbutwouldnotgivehimthemonththathesought;
  • whenadvisedofthisMrMonionbecameveryargumentativewithMsMcMaster;
  • atthisIinstructedMsMcMastertoadviseMrMonionthatIwouldlistthematteron13October2005at9.00a.m.andhewastobepresentintheCommission;
  • MrMonionsaidhecouldnotbeintheCommissionandthathewishedtobeonthetelephone. MsMcMasterthenaskedMrMonionwhyitwasthathecouldnotbepresentintheCommission. MrMonionsaidthathewasworking. MsMcMasterwasinstructedtoinquireofMrMonionthenameofhiscurrentemployerandthehoursofworkthathewascurrentlyworking. ThesequestionswereaskedinorderthatarrangementscouldbemadetositatatimewhenMrMonionwasabletobepresentintheCommission. MrMonionadvisedMsMcMasterthathewouldnotdisclosethosefacts. ItheninstructedMsMcMastertoadviseMrMonionthatifhewantedanindulgencefromtheCommissionnottobepresentintheCommissiononthefollowingmorninghewouldhavetodivulgehisstartandfinishtimesandhisemployer. TheonlyresponsefromMrMonionwasthathewasworkingonafarmatBowenandthathewasworkinglonghours. ThroughoutthisconversationMsMcMasteradvisedMrMoniononseveraloccasionsthatherantheriskofhavinghisapplicationstruckoutifhedidnotcomplywithdirections;
  • thementionofthematterproceededon12October2005;
  • inthemeantimetheApplicantshadlodgedthisapplication. Directionswereissuedon13October2005andahearingdatescheduledfor3November2005. OnthatdatetherewasnoappearancefromMrMonion. IheardfromMrCooperfortheApplicants. InthecourseoftheproceedingsIaskedforanAffidavitofServicethattheDirectionsOrderhadbeenservedonMrMonion. IwasawarethathehadreceivedacopyoftheApplication.
  • on4November2005IwasadvisedbyMrCooperthattheDirectionsOrderhadnotbeenservedonMrMonion;
  • IthencausedtobeissuedafurtherDirectionsOrderdated4November2005. ThatDirectionsOrderrequiredMrMoniontofileandserveanystatementsofevidenceonwhichhewouldrelyinthisproceedingby15November2005. NostatementsofevidencewerereceivedfromMrMonion;
  • on18November2005copiesofdocumentswerereceivedintheRegistrywhichitissaidareevidenceofanemploymentrelationshipbetweenMrMonionandtheApplicants;
  • onMonday12December2005aRegistryofficeransweredatelephonecallfromTelstraaskingifshewouldacceptthechargesforareversecallfromaG.D.Savill. AstheIndustrialRegistrarisG.D.SavillandhewasonleavetheRegistryofficeragreedtoacceptthecharges. WhenthecallcamethroughtoherthecalleridentifiedhimselfasRickyMonion. ThecallwasthenputthroughtomyAssociate;
  • MrMonionthenaskedmyAssociateforanadjournmentofthematterlistedfor14December2005until18January2006.HeadvisedthathewasworkinginNorthQueenslandandwasunabletoattendthehearing. GiventhehistoryofthismatterIinstructedmyAssociatetoadviseMrMonionthatIwouldhearfromhimifheprovidedalandline. MrMonionadvisedmyAssociatethathewasunabletogetalandline;
  • laterthatafternoonmyAssociateleftamessageonMrMonion'smobileadvisinghimthatthisapplicationwouldbeheardon14December2005andthathecouldattendinperson,providealandlineonwhichtheRegistrycouldtelephonehimortelephonetheRegistryat11.25a.m.onhismobile.

[3]MrMoniondidnotattendthehearinginperson. HedidnotprovidetheRegistrywithalandlineonwhichhecouldbecontactedandnordidhetelephonetheRegistryonhismobileat11.25a.m.oranytimethereafterforthehearingofthismatter.

[4]MrMonionhasshownablatantdisregardforthedirectionsissuedbythisCommission. IamsatisfiedthatMrMonionwasawareofthehearingofthisapplicationandawareoftheseriousnessofthisapplication. InanAffidavitfiledbyleavetoday,MrCooperadvisedofaconversationwiththeRegistraroftheStanthorpeMagistratesCourtwhoadvisedhimthatMrMonionwaspresentatthatCourtHouseonTuesday6December2005foraminordebtmatter. IfthatisthecasethenMrMonioncanbeavailabletoattendCourtonsomeoccasionsbutheisunabletotelephonethisCommissionorbeavailableonalandlinetorespondtoastrikeoutapplication. FurtherMrCooper'sAffidavitgoestoadvicefromtheDelegateoftheAnti-DiscriminationCommissionerofamessageleftonhervoicemailon6December2005sayingthatMrMonioncouldnotattendaconciliationconferencescheduledfor9.00a.m.onWednesday7December2005ashewasinNorthQueensland.

[5]MrMonionhasshownnointerestinpursuinghisreinstatementapplication. TheApplicantshavebeenputtoconsiderablecostsbyMrMonion'sfailuretocomplywithdirectionsissuedbythisCommission. MrMoniondidnotprovideanyevidencewhatsoeverinthismatterandhedidnotappear. Inallthecircumstances,IconsiderthatfurtherhearingofB646of2005isnotinthepublicinterestandthereforeIdismissthatapplication.

[6]Inthematerialfiledwiththeapplication,andservedonMrMonion,arecopiesoftwodecisionsoftheAustralianIndustrialRelationsCommission. ThefirstbeingadecisioninRickyMonionvNorthQueenslandFreshPtyLtd,adecisionofSpencerCdated3May2005(PrintPR957748)whereinthefollowingcommentsappear:

  • "[t]heApplicantwastoappearonhisownbehalfbytelephoneinthismatter; however,afteranumberofattemptstocontacthimonthetelephonenumberwhichhehadconfirmed,thehearingproceededinhisabsence";
  • "[t]heRespondenthadrecordeditsfrustrationwiththeApplicant'sconductinthismatteronprioroccasions. TheRespondenthadsoughtonseveraloccasionsforthemattertobedismissedgiventhelackofmaterialfromtheApplicantinrelationtothejurisdictionalissues";and
  • "[s]ignificantendeavourshadbeenmadetofindasuitablehearingdatefortheApplicant. TheApplicanthadfailedtoadheretopriordatesforhearingsanddirectionsconferencesinthismatter".

[7]CommissionerSpencereventuallyupheldajurisdictionalobjectiontoMrMonion'sapplication. MrMonionthenappealedthatdecisiontoaFullBenchoftheAustralianIndustrialRelationsCommission(MarshSDP,O'CallaghanSDPandSmithC). ThedecisionoftheFullBenchinRickyMonionvNorthQueenslandFreshPtyLtdisdated19September2005andfoundinPrintPR962723. ThegroundofappealagainstCommissionerSpencer'sdecisionwasthat "[t]hecasewasdismissedunfairlyandthedecisionisdeemed ... biasasIwasnevergivenachancethatmycasebeheardorcometoaformalhearing". TheFullBenchissueddirectionsfortheconductoftheappeal. AfteroutliningthedirectionsissuedtheFullBenchstatedthat:

"[t]odate,theappellanthasneithercompliedwiththesedirectionsnorhastherebeenanyresponsefromtheappellanttotelephonemessagesandanemailsenttohimduringtheweekcommencing12September2005bySeniorDeputyPresidentMarsh'sAssociateaskinghimtocontractherconcerninghisappeal. TheappellanthasfailedtomakeanycontactwiththeFullBenchconcerninghisappealorthedirectionsissued.".

[8]FurthertheFullBenchstatedthat "[g]iventhehistoryofthismatter ...,thefailureoftheappellanttocomplywithdirectionsoftheFullBenchorcontacttheCommissionwithasatisfactoryexplanationforhisfailuretocomplywiththosedirectionstogetherwiththeabsenceofanysubmissionsisaveryseriousmatterandgoestotheheartofthenatureoftheappeal".

[9]ItseemsthatMrMonionhasahistoryofdisregardingdirections.

[10]IdismissapplicationB646of2005.

Orderaccordingly.
D.M.LINNANE,VicePresident.
HearingDetails:
2005 3November
14December / Appearances:
MrB.CooperofLivingstones(Australia)fortheApplicant.
Released: 15December2005

GovernmentPrinter,Queensland

TheStateofQueensland2006.