ARMSTRONG V ELLIOTT & & ELLIOTT V ARMSTRONG [1997] IRCA 70

ARMSTRONG V ELLIOTT & & ELLIOTT V ARMSTRONG [1997] IRCA 70

The national council had the power to make the rule changes in question by postal ballot, including setting a standard election timetable overriding branch variation. The council's authority is not constrained by branch autonomy or internal branch management provisions when acting within its explicit powers under the rules. Proposals to amend rules via postal ballot cannot be amended during the course of the ballot.

Parties
Applicant: Jan Armstrong; Respondent: Robert Elliott; Respondent: R. Van Arend; Respondent: M. Barrett; Respondent: J. Bremner; Respondent: L. Butler; Respondent: D. Byron; Respondent: P. Clapham; Respondent: B. Coffey; Respondent: T. Conoulty; Respondent: F. Cornford; Respondent: S. Cronin; Respondent: D. Davies; Respondent: D. Dewes; Respondent: K.D. Geddes; Respondent: H. Dalton; Respondent: K. Darveniza; Respondent: T. Dolan; Respondent: J. Drummond; Respondent: F. Dyson; Respondent: S. Eichenbaum; Respondent: P. Ellison; Respondent: J. Evans; Respondent: V. Fahey; Respondent: B. Gannino; Respondent: T. Garcia; Respondent: L. Gillett; Respondent: G. Gills; Respondent: B. Goulding; Respondent: B. Gunning; Respondent: M. Hall; Respondent: J. Hankinson; Respondent: H. Harrison; Respondent: M. Hart; Respondent: R. Harvey; Respondent: P. Herewini; Respondent: D. Hill; Respondent: M. Hopgood; Respondent: P. Ingwersen; Respondent: J. Jackson; Respondent: J. Jensz; Respondent: J. Kanara-Hobson; Respondent: E. Kelly; Respondent: J. Kenneison; Respondent: I. Knight; Respondent: M. Maloney; Respondent: W. Massey; Respondent: S. McCormack; Respondent: W. Miles; Respondent: Z. Mitchell; Respondent: J. Mitchell; Respondent: K. Moore; Respondent: L. Murdoch; Respondent: D. Murphy; Respondent: N. Myers; Respondent: J. Navas; Respondent: S. Nolan; Respondent: R. O'Brien; Respondent: S. Pollard; Respondent: J. Richmond; Respondent: G. Rogers; Respondent: K. Ryan; Respondent: A. Shaw; Respondent: G. Shelverton; Respondent: C. Thomson; Respondent: M. Timbs; Respondent: B. Tolley; Respondent: T. Tracey; Respondent: L. Walsh; Respondent: D. Whitworth; Respondent: L. Williams; Respondent: M. Williamson; Respondent: A. Wilson; Respondent: B. Woodward; Respondent: C. Burns; Respondent: R. Feltham; Respondent: T. Hawkins; Respondent: A. Lillicrap; Respondent: J. Margaetts; Respondent: P. Moylan; Respondent: S. O'Connor; Respondent: K. Ruby; Respondent: G. Webster; Respondent: J. Wilson; Respondent: J. Yammouni; Respondent: K. McIntosh; Respondent: C. Nader; Respondent: D. Gillespie; Respondent: F. Carrol; Respondent: M. Gorgal; Respondent: R. McCubbin; Respondent: D. Gregor; Respondent: J. Kennieson; Respondent: F. Lancaster
Jurisdiction
Australia
Judgment Date
14 March 1997
Procedural Posture
Civil / Decision on Preliminary Questions in Joined Proceedings
Outcome
Preliminary questions answered as specified; no final orders made yet; matter adjourned for parties to bring further minutes of order.
Legal Topics
Registered Organisation Rules, Amendment of Rules, Branch Autonomy, Rule Making Powers, Internal Management of Branches, Postal Ballots in Industrial Organisations
Industrial Law Registered Organisation Rules Amendment of Rules Branch Autonomy Rule Making Powers Internal Management of Branches Postal Ballots in Industrial Organisations

Case Brief

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Parties

Jan Armstrong

Applicant

Robert Elliott

Respondent

R. Van Arend

Respondent

M. Barrett

Respondent

J. Bremner

Respondent

L. Butler

Respondent

D. Byron

Respondent

P. Clapham

Respondent

B. Coffey

Respondent

T. Conoulty

Respondent

F. Cornford

Respondent

S. Cronin

Respondent

D. Davies

Respondent

D. Dewes

Respondent

K.D. Geddes

Respondent

H. Dalton

Respondent

K. Darveniza

Respondent

T. Dolan

Respondent

J. Drummond

Respondent

F. Dyson

Respondent

S. Eichenbaum

Respondent

P. Ellison

Respondent

J. Evans

Respondent

V. Fahey

Respondent

B. Gannino

Respondent

T. Garcia

Respondent

L. Gillett

Respondent

G. Gills

Respondent

B. Goulding

Respondent

B. Gunning

Respondent

M. Hall

Respondent

J. Hankinson

Respondent

H. Harrison

Respondent

M. Hart

Respondent

R. Harvey

Respondent

P. Herewini

Respondent

D. Hill

Respondent

M. Hopgood

Respondent

P. Ingwersen

Respondent

J. Jackson

Respondent

J. Jensz

Respondent

J. Kanara-Hobson

Respondent

E. Kelly

Respondent

J. Kenneison

Respondent

I. Knight

Respondent

M. Maloney

Respondent

W. Massey

Respondent

S. McCormack

Respondent

W. Miles

Respondent

Z. Mitchell

Respondent

J. Mitchell

Respondent

K. Moore

Respondent

L. Murdoch

Respondent

D. Murphy

Respondent

N. Myers

Respondent

J. Navas

Respondent

S. Nolan

Respondent

R. O'Brien

Respondent

S. Pollard

Respondent

J. Richmond

Respondent

G. Rogers

Respondent

K. Ryan

Respondent

A. Shaw

Respondent

G. Shelverton

Respondent

C. Thomson

Respondent

M. Timbs

Respondent

B. Tolley

Respondent

T. Tracey

Respondent

L. Walsh

Respondent

D. Whitworth

Respondent

L. Williams

Respondent

M. Williamson

Respondent

A. Wilson

Respondent

B. Woodward

Respondent

C. Burns

Respondent

R. Feltham

Respondent

T. Hawkins

Respondent

A. Lillicrap

Respondent

J. Margaetts

Respondent

P. Moylan

Respondent

S. O'Connor

Respondent

K. Ruby

Respondent

G. Webster

Respondent

J. Wilson

Respondent

J. Yammouni

Respondent

K. McIntosh

Respondent

C. Nader

Respondent

D. Gillespie

Respondent

F. Carrol

Respondent

M. Gorgal

Respondent

R. McCubbin

Respondent

D. Gregor

Respondent

J. Kennieson

Respondent

F. Lancaster

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Civil / Decision on Preliminary Questions in Joined Proceedings

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether national council has power to amend rules regarding branch election timetable by postal ballot
  2. 2 Whether national council may make a rule excluding branch power to make rules for internal management
  3. 3 Whether timing of branch elections is a matter of internal branch management

Ratio Decidendi

The national council had the power to make the rule changes in question by postal ballot, including setting a standard election timetable overriding branch variation. The council's authority is not constrained by branch autonomy or internal branch management provisions when acting within its explicit powers under the rules. Proposals to amend rules via postal ballot cannot be amended during the course of the ballot.

Court Disposition

Preliminary questions answered as specified; no final orders made yet; matter adjourned for parties to bring further minutes of order.

Orders

  • Preliminary Question 1: Yes (National council had power to make rule changes).
  • Preliminary Question 2: No (No power to vote on amendments to rule change proposal during postal ballot).