Constitutional Law (Cth) – Powers of the Parliament – Trade and commerce with other countries and among the States – Industrial relations – Application for variation of an award – Whether s 5(3), Workplace Relations Act 1996 (Cth) ("WRA") validly extends to employers not present in Australia – Whether s 5(3), WRA validly extends to foreign non-resident seafarers engaged outside Australia.
Industrial Law (Cth) – Application for variation of an award – Whether Australian Industrial Relations Commission had jurisdiction pursuant to s 5(3), WRA – Whether Pt VI, Navigation Act 1912 (Cth) impliedly repealed s 5(3), WRA – Whether s 5(3), WRA validly extends to employers not present in Australia – Whether s 5(3), WRA validly extends to foreign non-resident seafarers engaged outside Australia – Whether construction of s 5(3) to be limited through reference to rules of customary international law regarding "innocent passage" and "internal economy" of ships – Whether prosecutor validly served pursuant to Australian Industrial Relations Commission Rules 1998.
Constitution (Cth) – s 51(i).
Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) – s 21(1)(b).
Navigation Act 1912 (Cth) – Pt VI.
Workplace Relations Act 1996 (Cth) – ss 5, 111(1)(g), 113.
Judgment date
Case number
S391/2002
Before
Gleeson CJ, McHugh, Gummow, Kirby, Hayne, Callinan, Heydon JJ
Catchwords