Long Service Leave (Metalliferous Mining Industry) Act 1963

This Act may be cited as the Long Service Leave (Metalliferous Mining Industry) Act 1963.

(Repealed)

This Act shall commence upon a day to be appointed by the Governor and notified by proclamation published in the Gazette.

(Repealed)

This Act shall be read and construed subject to the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act and so as not to exceed the legislative power of the State, to the intent that, where any provision of this Act or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of this Act and the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected.

In this Act, unless the context or subject-matter otherwise indicates or requires—

Agreement means an enterprise agreement within the meaning of the Industrial Relations Act 1996.

Award means an award within the meaning of the Industrial Relations Act 1996.

Employer means any person employing any worker or workers and includes the Crown.

Inspector means an inspector appointed under the Industrial Relations Act 1996.

Metalliferous mine means any place, open cut, shaft, tunnel, drive, level or other excavation, drift, gutter, lead, vein, lode or reef wherein or whereby any operation is carried on for or in connection with the purpose of obtaining any mineral substance by any mode or method, and any place adjoining thereto on which any product of the metalliferous mine, as hereinbefore defined, is stacked, stored, crushed or otherwise treated and includes—

any quarry,

any place where two or more men are employed in connection with prospecting operations for the purposes of the discovery or exploration of or for any mineral substance whether by drilling, boring or any other method, and

so much of the surface of any place and the buildings, workshops, changehouses, structures and works thereon surrounding or adjacent to the shaft, outlets or site of a metalliferous mine, as hereinbefore defined, as are occupied, together with the mine, for the purposes of or in connection with the working of the mine, or the removal from the mine of refuse, or the health, safety or welfare of persons employed in, at or about the mine.

Mineral substance means any substance specified in the Schedule.

Ordinary pay, in relation to any worker, means the sum of—

where the worker is, on the prescribed date, remunerated wholly in relation to an ordinary time rate of pay fixed by the terms of the worker’s employment—

the amount of the ordinary remuneration of the worker, as on the prescribed date, or

the average weekly amount of the ordinary remuneration which was earned by the worker as a worker during that part of the period of 5 years ending on the prescribed date during which the worker was so remunerated,

whichever is the greater,

where the worker is, on the prescribed date, remunerated otherwise than wholly in relation to an ordinary time rate of pay so fixed—the amount of the average weekly wage which was earned by the worker as a worker (being the average of the amounts received by the worker each week under those terms after excluding any amount payable to the worker in respect of shift work, overtime or other penalty rates) during the period actually worked by the worker during—

the period of 12 months, or

the period of 5 years,

ending on the prescribed date, whichever amount of average weekly wage is the greater,

the average weekly amount of bonuses received by the worker as a worker employed by the person who is the worker’s employer on the prescribed date during—

where paragraph (a) (i) or (b) (i) applies for the purpose of calculating the worker’s ordinary pay, the period of 12 months, or

where paragraph (a) (ii) or (b) (ii) applies for that purpose, the period of 5 years,

ending on the prescribed date, and

where the worker was, immediately before the prescribed date, provided with board or lodging by the person who is the worker’s employer on the prescribed date—the cash value of that board or lodging.

Quarry means any place, open cut or excavation wherein or whereby any operation is carried on above ground for or in connection with the purpose of obtaining any mineral substance and any place adjoining thereto on which any product of the quarry, as hereinbefore defined, is stacked, stored, crushed or otherwise treated.

Worker means a person employed in, at or about a metalliferous mine, whether on salary or wages or piecework rates, or as a member of a butty-gang; and the fact that a person is working under a contract for labour only, or substantially for labour only, or as a lessee of any tools or other implements of production, shall not in itself prevent such person being held to be a worker.

Note—

The Interpretation Act 1987 contains definitions and other provisions that affect the interpretation and application of this Act.

For the purposes of—

the definition of ordinary pay in subsection (1) and of subsection (2A), prescribed date, in relation to a worker—

means except as provided in subparagraph (ii), the date immediately preceding the date on which that worker enters, or is deemed to have entered upon long service leave or the date of that worker’s death, as the case may require, or

where the worker has, in relation to any period of long service leave, entered into an agreement authorised by subsection (2B), means, in relation to that period of long service leave, the date of that agreement,

paragraph (a) of that definition, ordinary remuneration, in relation to a worker, means the remuneration for that worker’s normal weekly number of hours of work calculated at the time rate of pay fixed by the terms of the worker’s employment for the worker’s work under the terms of the worker’s employment reduced by any amount payable to the worker in respect of shift work, overtime or other penalty rates or, where 2 or more time rates of pay are so fixed, the amount of remuneration for that worker’s normal weekly number of hours of work calculated at the higher or highest of those rates and so reduced,

paragraph (c) of that definition, bonus, in relation to a worker, means any amount received by that worker under the terms of the worker’s employment under any bonus, incentive or other similar scheme, not being an amount taken into consideration in determining the amount of the average weekly wage of that worker referred to in paragraph (b) of that definition, and

paragraph (d) of that definition, the cash value of any board or lodging provided for a worker shall be deemed to be its cash value as fixed by or under the terms of the worker’s employment or, if it is not so fixed, shall be computed at the rate of $15, or such greater sum as may be prescribed instead, a week for board and $5, or such greater sum as may be prescribed instead, a week for lodging.

For the purposes of subsection (2) (b), where no normal weekly number of hours of work is fixed for a worker under the terms of the worker’s employment, the normal weekly number of hours of work shall be deemed to be the average weekly number of hours worked by the worker during the period of 12 months, or 5 years, as the case may require, ending on the prescribed date.

Where long service leave has accrued to a worker and the employer of that worker and that worker have agreed that the taking of the long service leave due to the worker or any part thereof shall be postponed that employer and that worker may agree that, for the purposes of the definition of ordinary pay in subsection (1), the prescribed date shall, in relation to that long service leave or part, as the case may be, be the date the agreement was entered into.

Despite anything to the contrary in this section, the ordinary pay of a worker is not to include or be increased by the amounts paid under any bonus, incentive or other similar scheme if the annual amount of the worker’s ordinary pay (excluding any amounts so paid) exceeds the amount prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this subsection.

Where, by any provision of the Industrial Relations Act 1996, a person who is engaged on work in, at or about a metalliferous mine is deemed for the purposes of that Act to be an employee and any other person is deemed for such purposes to be the employer of that employee, then for the purposes of this Act the person so deemed to be an employee shall be deemed to be a worker and the person so deemed to be the employer shall be deemed to be the employer of that worker.

Notes included in this Act do not form part of this Act.

Except as otherwise provided in this Act, every worker shall be entitled to long service leave on ordinary pay in respect of the worker’s service with an employer. Service with the employer before the commencement of this Act as well as service with the employer after such commencement shall be taken into account for the purposes of this section.

Subject to paragraph (c) and subsection (13), the amount of long service leave to which a worker shall be so entitled shall—

in the case of a worker who has completed at least ten years’ service with an employer be—

in respect of each ten years’ service so completed, three months, and

on the termination of the worker’s services, in respect of the number of years’ service with the employer completed since the worker last became entitled to an amount of long service leave, a proportionate amount on the basis of three months for ten years’ service,

in the case of a worker who has completed with an employer at least five years’ service, and whose services are terminated by the employer for any reason other than the worker’s serious and wilful misconduct, or by the worker on account of illness, incapacity or domestic or other pressing necessity, or by reason of the death of the worker, be a proportionate amount on the basis of three months for ten years’ service.

(Repealed)

In the case of a worker whose service with an employer began before the commencement of this Act and whose service would entitle the worker to long service leave under this section, the amount of long service leave to which such worker shall be entitled shall be the sum of the following amounts—

an amount calculated on the basis of three months for twenty years’ service in respect of the period of the worker’s service before such commencement, and

an amount calculated on the basis of three months for ten years’ service in respect of the period of the worker’s service as from such commencement.

A worker entitled under this section to long service leave in respect of a period of service with an employer shall not, except in pursuance of an agreement between the worker and the employer entitling the worker to leave in the nature of long service leave in addition to long service leave under this Act, be entitled otherwise than under the provisions of this Act to leave in the nature of long service leave in respect of that period of service with that employer.

Where before or after the commencement of this Act—

a worker has otherwise than in pursuance of this section been granted by an employer and taken any leave in the nature of long service leave in respect of a period of service with the employer, or

payment of the monetary value of leave in the nature of long service leave has been made to the worker or other person entitled thereto,

the leave so granted and taken or the leave in respect of which such payment has been made shall, except where such leave has been taken or payment has been made pursuant to an agreement referred to in subparagraph (i), be deducted from any amount of long service leave to which such worker is entitled pursuant to this section in respect of that period of service with that employer.

Subject to subsection (5), where a worker has become entitled to long service leave in respect of the worker’s service with an employer, the employer shall give to the worker and the worker shall take the leave—

as soon as is practicable having regard to the needs of the employer’s establishment or, where the employer and the worker agree that the taking of the leave be postponed until an agreed date, as from that date,

in one continuous period or, if the worker and the employer so agree, in the following separate periods and not otherwise—

where the amount of the leave is three months, in two separate periods,

where the amount of the leave exceeds three months and does not exceed nineteen and one-half weeks, in two or three separate periods,

where the amount of leave exceeds nineteen and one-half weeks, in two, three or four separate periods—

Provided that where any leave has been given to and taken by the worker pursuant to subsection (3A), this subsection shall apply to and in respect of so much only of the leave to which the worker has become entitled as has not been so given and taken.

If the employer and the worker so agree, a period of long service leave of not less than one month may be given by the employer, and taken by the worker, wholly or partly in advance before the worker has become entitled to any long service leave or to the amount so agreed to be given and taken. No such agreement shall, for the purposes of subsection (2) (a) (i) (b), be deemed to confer on the worker an entitlement to long service leave.

The long service leave provided by this section is exclusive of annual holidays but is inclusive of all other holidays occurring during the taking of any period of long service leave.

Where the services of a worker are terminated otherwise than by the worker’s death and any long service leave—

to which the worker was entitled has not been taken, or

accrues to the worker upon such termination and has not been taken,

the worker shall, subject to subsection (13), be deemed to have entered upon the leave from the date of such termination and the employer shall forthwith pay to the worker in full the worker’s ordinary pay for the leave less any amount already paid to the worker in respect of that leave.

Where a worker dies and any long service leave—

to which the worker was entitled has not been taken, or

accrues upon termination of the services of the worker by reason of the worker’s death and has not been taken,

the employer shall upon request by the worker’s personal representative pay to the worker’s personal representative in full the ordinary pay that would have been payable to the worker in respect of long service leave less any amount already paid to the worker in respect of that leave.

On the termination of the services of a worker who had taken any leave pursuant to subsection (3A) the worker’s employer may, subject to this paragraph and subsection (13), deduct from any remuneration payable on such termination in respect of the worker’s services—

if the worker had not become entitled to any long service leave in the course of or upon the termination of the worker’s services—the amount paid to the worker as ordinary pay for the leave so taken, or

if the worker had become so entitled—the amount paid to the worker as ordinary pay for the excess, if any, over the worker’s total entitlement of the period or total of the periods of long service leave on ordinary pay given pursuant to this Act by that employer to and taken by the worker.

Notwithstanding subsection (5) (c), the deduction to be made pursuant to subsection (5) (c) shall not exceed the amount of ordinary pay that would have been payable for the period of leave or excess leave, as the case may be, had it been taken on the termination of the services of the worker.

(Repealed)

Subject to subsection (5), where a worker enters upon a period of long service leave, the employer of the worker shall pay to the worker the ordinary pay to be paid to the worker in respect of the period of leave in one of the following ways—

in full when the worker commences the period of leave, or

at the same time as the worker’s ordinary pay would have been paid if the worker had remained on duty, in which case payment shall, if the worker in writing so requires, be made by cheque posted to an address specified by the worker, or

in any other way agreed between the employer and the worker,

and the ordinary pay shall become due to the worker accordingly.

Except as provided in subsection (5), payment shall not be made by an employer to a worker in lieu of any long service leave or part thereof to which the worker is entitled under this Act nor shall any such payment be accepted by the worker.

Any amount payable under this section—

to the personal representative of a worker, shall be recoverable by the personal representative of the worker, or

to a worker who dies before being paid such amount, shall be recoverable by the personal representative of the worker as payment due to the worker,

in like manner as a worker may recover any amount under section 12.

The employer shall give to each worker at least one month’s notice of the date from which it is proposed that the worker’s long service leave shall be given and taken.

For the purposes of this section—

the service of a worker with an employer means the period during which the worker has served the worker’s employer under an unbroken contract of employment, whether or not during the whole of that period the worker was employed by the worker’s employer as a worker, within the meaning of this Act: Provided that a contract of employment shall be deemed not to have been broken by reason only of any interruption or determination thereof, whether occurring before or after the commencement of this Act, if the interruption or determination—

has been made by the employer with the intention of avoiding any obligation imposed on the employer by this Act, the Long Service Leave Act 1955, or by any obligation in relation to sick leave imposed on the employer by an award within the meaning of the Industrial Relations Act 1996, or

has arisen directly or indirectly from an industrial dispute, or

has been made by the employer by reason of slackness of trade—

Provided further that the period during which the contract has been so interrupted or determined shall not by reason only of this paragraph be taken into account in calculating the period of service,

where a worker has entered into a contract of employment with an employer within a period of twelve months after the completion of an apprenticeship with the employer the period of the worker’s apprenticeship shall be taken into account for the purpose of ascertaining the period of the worker’s service with that employer under that contract of employment,

where a business, undertaking or establishment or any part thereof has, whether before or after the commencement of this Act, been transmitted from an employer (in this paragraph called the transmittor) to another employer (in this paragraph called the transmittee) and a person who at the time of the transmission was a worker in the employ of the transmittor in that business, undertaking, establishment or part thereof becomes a worker in the employ of the transmittee—

the continuity of the contract of employment of the worker shall be deemed not to have been broken by reason of the transmission, and

the period of service which the worker has had with the transmittor or any prior transmittor shall be deemed to be service of the worker with the transmittee.

In this paragraph transmission, without limiting its ordinary meaning, includes transfer, conveyance, assignment or succession whether by agreement or operation of law, and transmitted has a corresponding meaning,

any period during which a person served as a member of the naval, military or air forces of the Commonwealth or of the Civil Construction Corps established under the National Security Act 1939, as amended by subsequent Acts, of the Parliament of the Commonwealth, shall, subject to subsection (12), be deemed to be service of that person as a worker in the employ of the employer by whom that person was last employed before the worker commenced to serve as such member.

Subsection (11) (d) shall not, where the period during which a person served as a member of the naval, military or air forces of the Commonwealth commenced by enlistment or appointed in any such force after the second day of September, one thousand nine hundred and forty-five, apply to and in respect of that period unless, pursuant to an Act of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia enacted before or after the commencement of the Long Service Leave (Amendment) Act 1967, that person was entitled to apply to be reinstated in the worker’s former civil employment on the termination of the worker’s period of service as such a member and the worker did not, at the expiration of the period during which that right subsisted, continue as a member of such a force.

For the purposes of this subsection, the former employer to whom application for reinstatement is required to be made pursuant to an Act of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia referred to in paragraph (a) shall, notwithstanding anything contained in any such Act, be deemed to be and always to have been the employer by whom the member of the naval, military or air forces of the Commonwealth was last employed before the commencement of the service, as such a member, entitling the worker to apply to be reinstated in civil employment.

In this subsection—

Award includes—

an agreement, and

an award in force under the Industrial Relations Act 1988 of the Commonwealth.

Corporation means any body corporate formed or incorporated in or outside New South Wales.

Holding company and subsidiary have the same meanings as they have in the Corporations Act 2001 of the Commonwealth.

Termination means termination by any person or by any cause.

For the purposes of this subsection—

where a corporation is—

the holding company, or

a subsidiary, or

a subsidiary of the holding company,

of another corporation, the first mentioned corporation and that other corporation shall, and no two corporations shall in any other case, be deemed to be related to each other,

a worker shall be deemed to have transferred from the service of an employer to the service of another employer, only if before, concurrently with or within a period of two months after the termination of the worker’s services with the first mentioned employer the worker entered into a contract of employment with that other employer, and the transfer shall be deemed to have occurred at the time of that termination.

Where before or after the commencement of the Long Service Leave (Amendment) Act 1967, a worker has transferred from the service of an employer (in this paragraph called the first employer) being a corporation to the service of another employer being a corporation related to the first employer at the time of that transfer, then for the purposes of this section—

the continuity of the contract of employment of the worker shall be deemed not to have been broken by reason of the transfer, and

the period of service which the worker had had with the first employer before the commencement of the worker’s services with that other employer (including any service which by reason of a prior transfer or prior transfers or for any other reason the worker is deemed by this section or, for the purposes of long service leave for such service, the worker is deemed by any Act or award to have had with the first employer) shall be deemed to be service of the worker with that other employer.

Where before or after the commencement of the Long Service Leave (Amendment) Act 1967 a worker has entered into a contract of employment with an employer, being a corporation, within a period of twelve months after the completion of an apprenticeship with another employer, being a corporation which at the time of such entry into employment was related to the first mentioned employer, the period of the worker’s apprenticeship shall be taken into account for the purpose of ascertaining the period of the worker’s service with the first mentioned employer under that contract of employment.

Where the services of a worker with an employer are terminated and that employer is a corporation to which any other corporation is related at the time of that termination, the services of the worker shall not, for the purposes of subsections (2) and (5), be deemed to have been so terminated if the worker transfers to the employment of any such related corporation.

A worker or the worker’s personal representative shall not be entitled by virtue of this subsection to long service leave or payment therefor in respect of any period of service if in respect of that period of service an employer was required by any other provisions of this Act, or by any other Act or any award, to give to the worker any long service leave and to pay wages or other remuneration therefor, or to pay wages or other remuneration for long service leave deemed to have been given to the worker, and if the obligations of that employer in that behalf have been fully satisfied and discharged.

Note—

An offence against this Act arising under this section committed by a corporation is an executive liability offence attracting executive liability for a director or other person involved in the management of the corporation—see section 10A.

Section 4 shall not apply to any worker who is employed by an employer as a member of a class of workers for whom provisions entitling the worker (whether immediately or upon the fulfilment of certain conditions) to leave in the nature of long service leave are made—

by an award or agreement, whether made before or after the commencement of this Act, and such provisions are more favourable to the worker than those of section 4, or

by or under any Act, other than this Act or the Industrial Relations Act 1996.

Where the worker ceases to be a member of a class of workers as aforesaid and at the same time ceases to be in the employment of the worker’s employer the worker’s service as a member of such class shall not be service for the purposes of section 4.

Subject to section 5A, the Industrial Relations Commission may, subject to such conditions as it thinks fit to impose, exempt any employer from the operation of the provisions of this Act relating to long service leave in respect of any workers in any case where it is satisfied that the workers are entitled to benefits under any scheme conducted by or on behalf of the employer, which scheme provides for the granting of long service leave as such to the workers on terms not less favourable than those specified in this Act and that it is in the best interests of the workers that the exemption should be granted.

Any exemption granted to an employer in relation to long service leave pursuant to section 88C (4) of the Industrial Arbitration Act 1940 or section 5 (2) of the Long Service Leave Act 1955 and in force immediately before the commencement of this Act shall, in so far as it relates to workers, be deemed to have been granted pursuant to paragraph (a).

Any exemption granted pursuant to paragraph (a) shall not apply to an employer in respect of any worker who, within a period of three months after the date from which the exemption takes effect, or from the date of commencement of the worker’s employment, as the case may require, has by notice in writing to the employer elected to be subject to the provisions of this Act relating to long service leave in lieu of those provided for in the scheme conducted by or on behalf of the employer.

Any exemption deemed by paragraph (b) to have been granted pursuant to paragraph (a) shall not apply to an employer in respect of a worker who has before the commencement of this Act by notice in writing given pursuant to subsection (4A) of section 88C of the Industrial Arbitration Act 1940, or pursuant to subparagraph (i) of paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of section 5 of the Long Service Leave Act 1955, elected to be subject to the provisions of an award or industrial agreement relating to long service leave, or to the provisions of the Long Service Leave Act 1955, in lieu of those provided for in the scheme conducted by or on behalf of the worker’s employer or who after such commencement has by notice in writing to the employer elected to be subject to the provisions of this Act relating to long service leave in lieu of those provided for in the scheme conducted by or on behalf of the employer within the time within which the worker would have been entitled to make an election, as provided in the said subparagraph (i), had the said subparagraph continued to apply to workers after the commencement of this Act.

Notwithstanding any provision of any scheme referred to in subparagraph (i) or (ii) where a worker has given notice in writing as aforesaid, the worker shall be entitled to such benefits under the scheme, other than long service leave, as the worker would have been entitled to receive had the worker voluntarily left the service of the employer upon the date on which the notice was given: Except as aforesaid upon the notice being given the rights of any worker to any benefits under the scheme and the obligations under the scheme of the employer and any persons charged with the administration of the scheme in respect of that worker and any person claiming under the worker or in respect of the worker’s employment shall cease and determine.

The Industrial Relations Commission may vary the terms of any exemption granted or deemed by paragraph (b) to have been granted pursuant to paragraph (a) or any condition subject to which the exemption was granted, and may revoke the exemption.

The Industrial Relations Commission may, of its own motion, and on application by an industrial organisation of employees within the meaning of the Industrial Relations Act 1996 or an employer concerned, shall review the terms of any exemption granted before the commencement of this Act, which is deemed by paragraph (b) to have been granted pursuant to paragraph (a).

Where after such a review the Commission is of the opinion that the benefits under a scheme, the subject of the exemption, are not as favourable as those specified in this Act, or that it is no longer in the best interests of the workers concerned that the exemption should continue to operate, the Commission may vary the terms of such exemption or any condition subject to which the exemption was or was deemed to have been granted, or may revoke the exemption.

In this section, exemption means an exemption granted under section 5 (2) (a).

Unless sooner revoked, an exemption granted after the commencement of this section remains in force for the period of 3 years from the date on which it is granted or for such shorter period as the Industrial Relations Commission specifies when granting it, but it may be extended by the Commission from time to time for a further period or further periods of 3 years or such shorter period or periods as the Commission specifies when extending it.

The Industrial Relations Commission may review any exemption—

of its own motion, after causing a notice to be served on such persons as appear to be appropriate in the circumstances stating that the Commission requires them to show cause why the exemption should not be varied or revoked on the ground that the benefits provided by this Act are more favourable than those then applying,

on application by an industrial organisation of employees within the meaning of the Industrial Relations Act 1996, or by an employer, affected by the exemption, or

at the request of the Minister or following a report by the Industrial Registrar.

After reviewing an exemption, the Industrial Relations Commission may confirm the exemption, vary the terms of the exemption or any condition subject to which the exemption was granted, or revoke the exemption.

Nothing contained in this Act shall limit or in any way affect the powers, authorities, duties and functions conferred and imposed on the Industrial Relations Commission by or under the Industrial Relations Act 1996 in respect of long service leave—

Provided that in the exercise and performance of such powers, authorities, duties and functions, the Commission shall not in any award, whether made before or after the commencement of this Act, insert any provisions relating to long service leave for workers unless those provisions are more favourable to the workers than the provisions of section 4 or are applicable to persons who are not workers entitled to the long service leave provided by section 4.

The provisions of this Act shall have effect notwithstanding any stipulation to the contrary whether made before or after the commencement of this Act.

No contract or agreement made or entered into either before or after the commencement of this Act shall operate to annul or vary or exclude any of the provisions of this Act.

Every employer shall keep or cause to be kept a long service leave record in a form approved by the Minister for a period of at least 6 years after the last entry therein.

Note—

An offence against this Act arising under this section committed by a corporation is an executive liability offence attracting executive liability for a director or other person involved in the management of the corporation—see section 10A.

Every inspector shall have power at any reasonable times—

to enter, inspect and examine the premises of any employer or any premises in which the inspector has reasonable cause to believe that any person is employed,

to require an employer to produce, at such time and place as the inspector may specify, the long service leave record required to be kept under this Act,

to make such examination and inquiry as may be necessary to ascertain whether the provisions of this Act have been complied with,

to exercise all other powers that may be necessary to ensure the carrying out of the provisions of this Act.

No inspector shall have any authority under this Act to enter those portions of a building which are used exclusively for the purposes of a private dwelling.

Where a worker claims that an employer has not paid the full amount of any payment which has become due to the worker under this Act, an inspector may, by notice in writing served personally or by post, require the employer to deliver or to send by post to the inspector, within such time and to such place as are specified in the notice—

a copy of such specified part of the long service leave record required to be kept under this Act, and

such other information of a specified kind relating to that payment,

as the inspector considers necessary in order to investigate the claim.

A public servant authorised in that behalf by the Under Secretary of the Department of Industrial Relations may exercise the power conferred on an inspector by subsection (3).

Every person who contravenes or fails to comply in any respect with any provision of this Act shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 10 penalty units.

Every person who—

makes any false or misleading statement in, or any material omission from, any long service leave record which the person is required to keep, or

obstructs any inspector in the exercise of the inspector’s powers under this Act, or

fails to comply with any requirement or direction lawfully given by an inspector under this Act or to furnish any information lawfully demanded under this Act by an inspector,

shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 10 penalty units.

Any employer who does any act or thing for the purpose of or which has the effect of in any way whether directly or indirectly—

avoiding or evading any obligation imposed on the employer by this Act, or

defeating, evading, avoiding or preventing the operation of this Act in any respect,

shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 10 penalty units.

(Repealed)

In this section, inspector includes a public servant authorised under section 9 (4).

For the purposes of this section, an executive liability offence is an offence against this Act arising under any of the following provisions of this Act that is committed by a corporation—

section 4,

section 8.

A person commits an offence against this section if—

a corporation commits an executive liability offence, and

the person is—

a director of the corporation, or

an individual who is involved in the management of the corporation and who is in a position to influence the conduct of the corporation in relation to the commission of the executive liability offence, and

the person—

knows or ought reasonably to know that the executive liability offence (or an offence of the same type) would be or is being committed, and

fails to take all reasonable steps to prevent or stop the commission of that offence.

Maximum penalty—The maximum penalty for the executive liability offence if committed by an individual.

The prosecution bears the legal burden of proving the elements of the offence against this section.

The offence against this section can only be prosecuted by a person who can bring a prosecution for the executive liability offence.

This section does not affect the liability of the corporation for the executive liability offence, and applies whether or not the corporation is prosecuted for, or convicted of, the executive liability offence.

This section does not affect the application of any other law relating to the criminal liability of any persons (whether or not directors or other managers of the corporation) who are accessories to the commission of the executive liability offence or are otherwise concerned in, or party to, the commission of the executive liability offence.

In this section—

director has the same meaning it has in the Corporations Act 2001 of the Commonwealth.

reasonable steps, in relation to the commission of an executive liability offence, includes, but is not limited to, such action (if any) of the following kinds as is reasonable in all the circumstances—

action towards—

assessing the corporation’s compliance with the provision creating the executive liability offence, and

ensuring that the corporation arranged regular professional assessments of its compliance with the provision,

action towards ensuring that the corporation’s employees, agents and contractors are provided with information, training, instruction and supervision appropriate to them to enable them to comply with the provision creating the executive liability offence so far as the provision is relevant to them,

action towards ensuring that—

the plant, equipment and other resources, and

the structures, work systems and other processes,

relevant to compliance with the provision creating the executive liability offence are appropriate in all the circumstances,

action towards creating and maintaining a corporate culture that does not direct, encourage, tolerate or lead to non-compliance with the provision creating the executive liability offence.