United Firefighters' Union of Australia v Country Fire Authority

(2015) 228 FCR 497; [2015] FCAFC 1

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Catchwords

1. Constitutional Law (Cth)
2. › Corporations power
3. › Trading corporation
4. › Whether statutory fire authority a trading corporation
5. › Trading activities constituting 2.7% of total revenue
6. › Whether trading activities sufficiently significant
7. › Constitution, s 51(xx)
1. Constitutional Law (Cth)
2. › Implied limitations on Commonwealth legislative power
3. › Melbourne Corporation principle
4. › Whether Fair Work Act beyond power in application to enterprise agreement clauses
5. › Whether clauses curtailed capacity of State to function
6. › Whether enterprise agreement voluntarily entered
7. › Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth)
1. Industrial Law (Cth)
2. › Enterprise agreements
3. › Objectionable terms
4. › Consultation clauses
5. › Whether clauses authorised discrimination against non-union employees
6. › Whether clauses constituted consultation terms under s 205
7. › Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), ss 12, 194, 205, 253, 342, 346, 356
1. Industrial Law (Cth)
2. › Enterprise agreements
3. › Dispute resolution clauses
4. › Whether clause covering 'all matters pertaining to the employment relationship' valid
5. › Whether s 186(6) limited scope of permissible dispute resolution terms
6. › Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), ss 172(1)(a), 186(6)

Quick Take

Trading activities generating as little as 2.7% of total revenue may be sufficient to characterise a statutory authority as a trading corporation under s 51(xx), provided those activities are not insubstantial when considered in absolute terms and relative to overall activities.