LegalSpeech

FirstSpeaker:
Ifitmaypleasethecourt,IamseniorcounselMrLee,initialDandIamaccompaniedbymy
learnedJuniorcounselMrAhmadi,initialPandmylearnedsolicitorMrGounder,initialH.
WewillberepresentingtheApplicantintheButtonandPlumbAccountingcase.Maythe
appellantseekleavetopresentyourHonourswiththewrittensubmissions?

YourHonour,thisappealconcernstheterminationoftheapplicantsemploymentinthe
accountingfirmPlumbAccounting.YourHonour,ifitpleasesthecourt,wehavethree
submissions.Ourfirstsubmissionisthattheapplicantwasnotgivenclearorsufficient
warningofhisdismissal,breachingsubsection2oftheSmallBusinessUnfairDismissal
Code.Oursecondsubmission,isthattheapplicantwasnotgivensufficienttimetorectifyhis
behaviourthusagainbreachingsubsection2oftheSmallBusinessUnfairDismissalCode
thereforenotprovidingproceduralfairnesstotheapplicant.Ourthirdsubmissionisthatthe
applicantsactionsdoesnotconstituteseriousmisconductthusmeaningthattherewasa
breachofproceduralfairnessinthedismissaloftheapplicant.Theapplicantseeksnowto
bringanactionforunfairdismissalandseekscompensation.

YourHonour,ifitpleasesthecourt,theapplicantwouldliketomakeitsfirstsubmission.It
isoursubmissionthattheapplicantwasnotgivensufficientwarningabouthisdismissaland
thereforetheemployer,PaulPlumbsdismissalwasharsh,unjustandunreasonable.In
Section388(2)oftheFairWorkActstatesthatapersonsdismissalisconsistentwiththe
SmallBusinessFairDismissalCodeifatthetimethepersonwasgivennoticeofthe
dismissal.ThuswesubmitthatinlinewithSubsection2oftheSmallBusinessUnfair
DismissalCodetherespondentfailedtowarntheapplicantofhisterminationbeforethe
dismissal.ThisbreachesproceduralfairnessandasshowninJohnSpencervGRHarrison
PtyLtdalackofwarningconstitutesabreachofproceduralfairness.

Theverbalphrasefromtherespondentofbackoffdoesnotconstituteasanappropriate
warning.Thisisbecausethismessageisvagueandcannoteasilybeperceivedasawarning
asdemonstratedinMatthewJohnVTheStarPtyLimited[2014]FWC543casewhereitwas
judgedthatnonexplicitandclearverbalwarningscannotbeconsideredasanofficial
warning.AsitisstatedintheSmallBusinessFairDismissalCodeintheOtherDismissals
sectionthesmallbusinessemployermustgivetheemployeeareasonwhyheorsheisat
riskofbeingdismissed.Theemployeemustbewarnedverballyorpreferablyinwriting,that
heorsherisksbeingdismissed.

YourHonour,ifitpleasesthecourt,theapplicantwouldliketomakeitssecondsubmission.
Itisoursubmissionthattheapplicantwasnotgivensufficienttimetorectifyhisbehaviour
andthereforetheemployer,PaulPlumbsdismissalwasharsh,unjustandunreasonable.The
immediatedismissaloftheapplicantisaclearandblatantbreachoftheSmallBusiness
UnfairDismissalCodeandproceduralfairness.ThisisdemonstratedinDanielRuthvenv

AlcomFabricationswheretheapplicantwasnotgiventimetorectifyhisbehaviourtherefore
breachingproceduralfairnessandcausingittobeharsh,unjustandunreasonable.Thisis
furthermoredisplayedinAndersonvThiesswheretherespondent'sclaimforsummary
dismissalwasdisprovedandthereforethelackoftimegivenbreachedproceduralfairness.

Toconclude,yourhonours,theapplicanthascompleteditsfirstandsecondsubmission.Thus
itisevidencedthatthetheApplicantwasnotgivenproceduralfairnessduetothelackof
warningandsufficienttimegiventorectifytheapplicantsbehaviour.Iwouldliketothank
thecourtfortheirtimeandnowhandovertotherespondent..

SecondSpeaker:
YourHonor,itisoursubmissionthattheactionsoftheApplicantdidnotconstituteserious
misconductandthereforetheemployer,PaulPlumb,didnotprovideasufficientnoticefor
terminationtotheApplicantofhisactionsaspertheSmallBusinessFairDismissalCode
2009(Cwth).WealsosubmitthatinlinewithSection387(c)oftheFairWorkAct2009
(Cwth)theApplicantwasnotdirectlynotifiedofhisreasonandwastherebynotgivenan
opportunitytorespondtoanyreasonrelatedtohisconduct.

InRegulation1.07oftheFairWorkRegulation2009(Cwth),seriousmisconductisdefined
bybothwilful,deliberatebehaviourandconductthatcausesseriousandimminentrisktothe
healthorsafetyofapersonortheviability,profitabilityandreputationoftheemployer's
business.

Also,inSection28AoftheSexDiscriminationAct1984,sexualharassmentisany
unwelcomesexualadvance,requestorconductinwhichareasonablepersonhavingregardto
allthecircumstanceswouldanticipatethepersonbeintimidated,offendedorhumiliated.In
theApplicant'scaseweseethattheactionsoftheApplicantdonotcorrespondwiththegiven
criteriatherebydemonstratingnoseriousmisconductanddisproportionalitybetweengravity
ofconductanddismissal.ThisishighlightedinNadenvACMGroupLtdt/asAdvanced
CreditManagement/AccountsControlManagementServices[2010]FWA8071(28October
2010)
wheretheApplicantinquestioninspiteoftheirviolationonsexualharassmentpolicywas
grantedunfairdismissal.

Furthermore,inDavidsonvVisaGlobalLogisticsPtyLtd[2015]FWC7332(9November
2015)itwasconcludedthatinacasewithvalidreasonforterminationamountingtoserious
misconduct,aconclusionofharshnessisopenifsignificantmitigatingfactorsarepresent.In
theApplicant'scase,theabsenceofacodeofconductwasanindispensablefactorin
determiningthevalidityofunfairdismissal.Theestablishmentofacodeofconductis
essentialinconstructingparametersforbehaviourintheworkplace,anideaveryrelevantin
thecaseoftheApplicant.ThisisseenincasessuchasSpargovQRNetworkPtyLtd[2010]
FWA7822(7October2010)inwhichworkplacepoliciesorcodesofconducthavebeen

essentialindeterminingthevalidityofunfairdismissalandB,CandDvAustralianPostal
CorporationT/AAustraliaPost[2013]FWCFB6191(28August2013)inwhichthecase
wasconsideredaharshdismissaloftheApplicantsduetolackofwarningbyAustraliaPost
inregardstobreachesofpolicy.

AccordingtotheSmallBusinessFairDismissalCode,anyformoftheft,violence,fraudor
anyotherseriousbreachesofOccupationalHealthandSafetyprocedureswarrantasummary
dismissal.Inthiscase,theactionsofthedefendant,beingsomewhatinvasivetothe
Respondent,donotnecessitateasummarydismissalastheywerenotseriousformsof
misconduct.ThisishighlightedintheKeenanvsLeightonBoralAmyJointVenture(2015)
FWCwhereinspiteoftheromanticandsexualpropositionsoftheApplicanttoanother
memberofthecompanywasestablishedasacaseofunfairdismissal.

Toconclude,yourhonours,theapplicanthascompleteditsThirdsubmission.Thusitis
evidencedthattheactionsoftheApplicantdonotconstituteseriousmisconduct,andthereby
hedidnotreceivesufficientnoticefortermination.Iwouldliketothankthecourtfortheir
timeandnowhandovertotheDefense.

ThirdSpeaker:

Yourhonour,Iwouldliketoaddresssomeofthepointsintroducedbytheoppositioncounsel
ifitpleasesthecourt.

Yourhonour,mylearnedcolleaguesrepresentingPlumbAccountinghaveproposedthatthe
actionsoftheapplicantdoesconstitutesexualharassmentthustheapplicanthasperformed
seriousmisconductgivingtherespondenttherighttousesummarydismissalonthe
applicant.Howeverasmylearnedjuniorcounselhasstatedthatthereisalarge
disproportionalitybetweenthegravityofconductanddismissalasseenintheNadenZielke
andNationalHearingCentrescase.AccordingtoSection28AoftheSexDiscriminationAct
1984,sexualharassmentisanyunwelcomesexualadvance,requestorconductinwhicha
reasonablepersonhavingregardtoallthecircumstanceswouldanticipatethepersonbe
intimidatedoroffended.IntheApplicant'scaseweseethathisactionsdonotcorrespondto
thegivencriteria.Thuswesubmitthattherespondentcannotsummarilydismisstheapplicant
duetothelackofseriousmisconduct.

Yourhonour,ifitpleasesthecourt,iwouldliketostartthesummationoftheapplicants
case.Theapplicantsactionsdonotconstituteseriousmisconductasthereisalarge
disproportionalitybetweenthegravityofconductanddismissalasseenintheNadenZielke
andNationalHearingCentresandKeenanvsLeightonBoralAmyJointVenture(2015)FWC
caseswhereitwasfoundthatsincetheappellant'sactionwhereunintentionalandthe
applicanthadagenuinebeliefthatwhattheydidwasnotwrong(asdiscussedinAndersonvs

Thiess),proceduralfairnessmustbegivenaspertheFairWorkAct2009andtheSmall
BusinessUnfairDismissalCode.Howeverproceduralfairnesswasnotgiventotheapplicant
duetothefailureofaclearwarning.AsshownintheMatthewJohnVTheStarPtyLimited
[2014]FWC543case,failuretogiveaclearwarningcausesabreachinproceduralfairness.
Thisbreachofproceduralfairnessisalsopresentinthelackofsufficienttimegiventothe
applicanttorectifyhisbehaviour.AsseenintheDanielRuthvenvAlcomFabrications,an
amountoftimemustbegiventotheemployeetorectifyhisbehaviour.Alackoftimegiven
breachesproceduralfairnessasdescribedintheFairWorkAct2009constitutesunfair
dismissal.Thereforeduetothelackofclearwarningoftheapplicantsdismissalandthelack
oftimegiventorectifyhisbehaviour,weaskthecourttofindtheterminationofthe
applicantsemploymentunfairandtothereforerewardtheapplicanttheappropriatesumfor
compensation.

IftherearenofurtherquestionsyourHonour,Iwillnowdefertomylearnedcolleagues
representingtherespondenttoconcludetheircase.Nofurthersubmissionsfromthe
prosecution,yourHonour

FAIRWORKACT2009SECT387
Criteriaforconsideringharshnessetc.

Inconsideringwhetheritissatisfiedthatadismissalwasharsh,unjustor
unreasonable,theFWCmusttakeintoaccount:

(a)whethertherewasavalidreasonforthedismissalrelatedtotheperson's
capacityorconduct(includingitseffectonthesafetyandwelfareofotheremployees)and

(b)whetherthepersonwasnotifiedofthatreasonand

(c)whetherthepersonwasgivenanopportunitytorespondtoanyreason
relatedtothecapacityorconductofthepersonand

(d)anyunreasonablerefusalbytheemployertoallowthepersontohavea
supportpersonpresenttoassistatanydiscussionsrelatingtodismissaland

(e)ifthedismissalrelatedtounsatisfactoryperformancebythe
personwhetherthepersonhadbeenwarnedaboutthatunsatisfactoryperformancebefore
thedismissaland

(f)thedegreetowhichthesizeoftheemployer'senterprisewouldbelikelyto
impactontheproceduresfollowedineffectingthedismissaland

(g)thedegreetowhichtheabsenceofdedicatedhumanresourcemanagement
specialistsorexpertiseintheenterprisewouldbelikelytoimpactontheproceduresfollowed
ineffectingthedismissaland

(h)anyothermattersthattheFWCconsidersrelevant.

FAIRWORKACT2009SECT388
TheSmallBusinessFairDismissalCode


(1)TheMinistermay,bylegislativeinstrument,declareaSmallBusinessFair
DismissalCode.

(2)Aperson'sdismissalwasconsistentwiththeSmallBusinessFairDismissal
Codeif:

(a)immediatelybeforethetimeofthedismissaloratthetimethepersonwas
givennoticeofthedismissal(whicheverhappenedfirst),theperson'semployerwasasmall
businessemployerand

(b)theemployercompliedwiththeSmallBusinessFairDismissalCodein
relationtothedismissal.