Difelice v Dettmer [2021] FCA 631

Difelice v Dettmer [2021] FCA 631

There is a strong prima facie case that the resolutions of the AMWU National Council purport to confer upon it powers to determine charges and effect removal from office of a 'State Official,' which the union rules do not provide. Accordingly, interlocutory relief should be granted to prevent the National Council from taking further action under those resolutions until final determination.

Parties
Applicant: Paul Difelice; First Respondent: Andrew Dettmer; Second Respondent: Ann-Marie Allan; Third Respondent: Peter Bauer; Fourth Respondent: Shannon Brooks; Fifth Respondent: Michael Cannon; Sixth Respondent: Loraine Cassin; Seventh Respondent: Charlie Clarke; Eighth Respondent: Steven Fainges; Ninth Respondent: Dean Fairchild; Tenth Respondent: Robyn Fortescue; Eleventh Respondent: Chris Harper; Twelfth Respondent: Jesse Hawke; Thirteenth Respondent: Tony Head; Fourteenth Respondent: Jason Hefford; Fifteenth Respondent: Andrew Kane; Sixteenth Respondent: Chris Kirkby; Seventeenth Respondent: John Lambropoulos; Eighteenth Respondent: Keith Lang; Nineteenth Respondent: Luciano Malgeri; Twentieth Respondent: Tony Mavromatis; Twenty First Respondent: Steven McCartney; Twenty Second Respondent: Glenn McLaren; Twenty Third Respondent: Noel Mitchell; Twenty Fourth Respondent: Leigh Monson; Twenty Fifth Respondent: Chris Mooney; Twenty Sixth Respondent: Ian Mortimer; Twenty Seventh Respondent: Steven Murphy; Twenty Eighth Respondent: David Norris; Twenty Nineth Respondent: Colin Ormsby; Thirtieth Respondent: Mark Pearce; Thirty First Respondent: Tony Piccolo; Thirty Second Respondent: Jon Primrose; Thirty Third Respondent: Domenic Rozario; Thirty Fourth Respondent: Ahmet Sayan; Thirty Fifth Respondent: John Short; Thirty Sixth Respondent: David Smith; Thirty Seventh Respondent: Karen Smith; Thirty Eighth Respondent: Heidi Stenschke; Thirty Nineth Respondent: Michael Terry; Fortieth Respondent: Glenn Thompson; Forty First Respondent: Jenny Tynan; Forty Second Respondent: Rohan Webb; Forty Third Respondent: Cory Wright; Intervener: Paul Bastian
Jurisdiction
Australia
Judgment Date
10 June 2021
Procedural Posture
Application for Interlocutory Relief / Interlocutory
Outcome
Application for interlocutory relief granted
Legal Topics
Union Management and Rules, Interlocutory Injunctions, Procedural Fairness, Union Disciplinary Proceedings
Industrial Law Practice and Procedure Union Management and Rules Interlocutory Injunctions Procedural Fairness Union Disciplinary Proceedings

Case Brief

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Parties

Paul Difelice

Applicant

Andrew Dettmer

First Respondent

Ann-Marie Allan

Second Respondent

Peter Bauer

Third Respondent

Shannon Brooks

Fourth Respondent

Michael Cannon

Fifth Respondent

Loraine Cassin

Sixth Respondent

Charlie Clarke

Seventh Respondent

Steven Fainges

Eighth Respondent

Dean Fairchild

Ninth Respondent

Robyn Fortescue

Tenth Respondent

Chris Harper

Eleventh Respondent

Jesse Hawke

Twelfth Respondent

Tony Head

Thirteenth Respondent

Jason Hefford

Fourteenth Respondent

Andrew Kane

Fifteenth Respondent

Chris Kirkby

Sixteenth Respondent

John Lambropoulos

Seventeenth Respondent

Keith Lang

Eighteenth Respondent

Luciano Malgeri

Nineteenth Respondent

Tony Mavromatis

Twentieth Respondent

Steven McCartney

Twenty First Respondent

Glenn McLaren

Twenty Second Respondent

Noel Mitchell

Twenty Third Respondent

Leigh Monson

Twenty Fourth Respondent

Chris Mooney

Twenty Fifth Respondent

Ian Mortimer

Twenty Sixth Respondent

Steven Murphy

Twenty Seventh Respondent

David Norris

Twenty Eighth Respondent

Colin Ormsby

Twenty Nineth Respondent

Mark Pearce

Thirtieth Respondent

Tony Piccolo

Thirty First Respondent

Jon Primrose

Thirty Second Respondent

Domenic Rozario

Thirty Third Respondent

Ahmet Sayan

Thirty Fourth Respondent

John Short

Thirty Fifth Respondent

David Smith

Thirty Sixth Respondent

Karen Smith

Thirty Seventh Respondent

Heidi Stenschke

Thirty Eighth Respondent

Michael Terry

Thirty Nineth Respondent

Glenn Thompson

Fortieth Respondent

Jenny Tynan

Forty First Respondent

Rohan Webb

Forty Second Respondent

Cory Wright

Forty Third Respondent

Paul Bastian

Intervener

Procedural Posture

Application for Interlocutory Relief / Interlocutory

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether National Council resolutions were beyond its power under union rules
  2. 2 Whether the National Council meeting was validly convened
  3. 3 Whether National Council can determine whether a 'State Official' should be removed from office under the union rules

Ratio Decidendi

There is a strong prima facie case that the resolutions of the AMWU National Council purport to confer upon it powers to determine charges and effect removal from office of a 'State Official,' which the union rules do not provide. Accordingly, interlocutory relief should be granted to prevent the National Council from taking further action under those resolutions until final determination.

Court Disposition

Application for interlocutory relief granted

Orders

  • Paul Bastian given leave to intervene in the proceeding.
  • Service of the originating application and affidavit effected by email for some respondents.