The Amusement, Events and Recreation Award 2010
28 The Amusement Award also arose out of the award modernisation process.
29 In May 2009 the Commission published an "Exposure Draft" of this Award. According to a Statement made by the Commission in May 2009, the "exposure draft … is based to a large extent on the terms of the AWU Theme Park and Amusement Award …": [2009] AIRCFB 450 at [75].
30 Cleanevent made no submission to the Commission.
31 The Commission made the Amusement Award on 4 September 2009.
32 In June 2010 an application was made to vary cl 4.2 of that Award. The application was made by Silverback Properties Pty Ltd and Muscillo Holdings Pty Ltd, the two companies involved in the operation of the Australia Zoo located on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. It was Muscillo Holdings Pty Ltd that was involved with provision of food and beverages and merchandising services within the Zoo.
33 That application was to vary cl 4.2 as follows:
Clause 4.2 be varied by:-
a) in sub-clause 4.2(a)(vi), by adding the word "zoos", so that the sub-clause reads:
"(vi) zoos, animals parks and aquariums."
b) by adding a new sub-clause 4.2(d) in the following terms:-
"(d) For the purposes of this clause, the amusements events and recreation industry also includes the provision of services within the primary venue such as photographic services, the sale of food, beverages and merchandising, and also activities undertaken by an employer covered by this Award which are ancillary to the conduct of the primary venue, such as road or water transport at, to or from, or away from, the primary venue, sightseeing tours, travel arrangements, and wildlife research, conservation and collection conducted away from the primary venue."
A written submission was also filed in June 2010 in support of the application made. That submission stated in part as follows:
28. Australia Zoo is, as appears from the above description, a large and diverse facility which provides photographic services, the sale of food, beverages and merchandising, and ancillary services such as road transport to and from the tourist accommodation areas of the nearby Sunshine Coast and associated sight-seeing tours and travel arrangements. Australia Zoo is also a world renowned leader in wildlife research and animal welfare and conservation. Zoo staff are also regularly engaged in research nature conservation and collection of display animals away from the Zoo itself.
29. All of the activities carried on by either Silverback Properties Pty Ltd or Muscillo Holdings Pty Ltd are directly integrated within the overall experience of visiting Australia Zoo, and/or are a part of its overall nature conservation role and purpose. As such, principally for the avoidance of future doubt, reference to such activities should be expressly referred to as being activities included within the definition of the Amusement, Events and Recreation Industry in the Award.
30. Such express references would be consistent with the terms of clause 4.1 of the Award, which excludes the operation of all other modern awards from employers and employees covered by the Award, thereby effectively quarantining the entire operations of such employers from the effect of any other modern award.
31. However difficulties in the practical interpretation of this provision may arise where activities are conducted away from the primary venue, as in the case of dedicated visitor transport vehicles or catching or nature conservation work in remote locations.
32. Further, Muscillo is confined in its business activities to the provision of food and beverages, and merchandising within the Australia Zoo complex. It does not operate a "zoo" in the sense of being an operator or employer in respect of housing and welfare of animals, as appears to be required by clause 4.1 of the award, however it does conduct a range of other essential and related facilities within the primary Zoo venue which is operated by Silverback.
33. In order to ensure that there can be no irregular or doubtful coverage of this Award in cases where the constituent elements of the overall service provided at a venue (which is otherwise covered by the Award) are provided by different corporate entities, it is submitted that the new subclause 4.2(d) set out in the Application for variation of the Award, should be added to the Award.
It was para [33] of this submission which was to assume significance in the present proceeding.
34 A hearing was conducted before Commissioner Harrison on 10 August 2010. The purpose or objective in seeking the amendment was explained by Counsel appearing for the applicants in part as follows:
The objective of that subclause is to ensure that the rope that the full bench originally ran around these kinds of facilities, by the terms of clause 4.1, runs a little wider and it definitely incorporates, within the coverage of the award, all of the matters that one might find generally being conducted in a facility of this kind. The alternative would be that there is a possibility - if that doesn't apply, if that's not the case - that a restaurant award, a fast-food award, a general hospitality, some of the veterinary awards and a range of other awards of that kind would all intrude into this operation and, as I say, I think the count was between - six and eight awards would apply within the boundaries of the facility, simply because Muscillo Holdings and Silverback have divided, between the two companies, the overall functions.
There were a number of references during Counsel's submissions to the variation being intended to "rope off" the activities conducted at the Australia Zoo. Counsel appearing for the applicants before Fair Work Australia also relied upon s 134(1)(g) of the Fair Work Act and the objective of ensuring that the modern award system remains "simple" to understand and the "difficulty in interpretation in relation to the way that the web of modern awards was made in respect to a facility" such as Australia Zoo.
35 The application to vary the Award was granted. Clause 4.2(d) was added.
36 As varied, cl 4 of the Amusement Award provides in part as follows:
4. Coverage
4.1 This industry award covers employers throughout Australia in the amusement, events and recreation industry and their employees in the classification set out in this award to the exclusion of any other modern award.
4.2 Definition of amusement, events and recreation industry
(a) Amusement, events and recreation industry means the operation of:
(i) leisure and recreation facilities and centres;
(ii) sporting, exhibition, convention and amusement complexes;
(iii) theme parks;
(iv) heritage, tourism and cultural centres;
(v) museums and galleries;
(vi) zoos, animal parks and aquariums;
(vii) agricultural and horticultural shows;
(viii) carnivals and amusement parks;
(ix) ten pin bowling venues;
(x) go-kart racing venues; and
(xi) amusement arcades, including video game and pinball parlours.
(b) For the purposes of this clause, theme parks means locations or enterprises operating attractions or amusements (whether indoor or outdoor) open to the public through either paid or free admission.
(c) For the purpose of this clause, the amusement, events and recreation industry also includes employers engaged in the supply, preparation, marking out, fabrication, installation, erection or dismantling of exhibition stands or associated componentry for the trades and public promotions industry.
(d) For the purposes of this clause, the amusements, events and recreation industry also includes the provision of services within the primary venue such as photographic services, the sale of food, beverages and merchandising, and also activities undertaken by an employer covered by this Award which are ancillary to the conduct of the primary venue, such as road or water transport at, to or from, or away from, the primary venue, sightseeing tours, travel arrangements, and wildlife research, conservation and collection conducted away from the primary venue.
It was cl 4.2(d) which was relied upon by Senior Counsel for Cleanevent as being that provision which "covered" or "applied" to the activities undertaken by its relevant employees.
37 Clause 4.6, together with the Note to that clause, provides as follows:
4.6 Where an employer is covered by more than one award, an employee of that employer is covered by the award classification which is most appropriate to the work performed by the employee and to the environment in which the employee normally performs the work.
NOTE: Where there is no classification for a particular employee in this award it is possible that the employer and that employee are covered by an award with occupational coverage.
In the event that cl 4.2(d) applied to or covered the employees of Cleanevent, reliance was thereafter placed upon the Note in support of a further submission that it was the Amusement Award which was the "most appropriate" award.
38 Schedule B to this Award sets forth the "Classification Structure" of employees and provides in part as follows:
Schedule B-Classification Structure
B.1 Introductory level employee
Introductory level employee means an employee who enters the industry and who has not demonstrated the competency requirements of a Grade 1 employee. An employee at this level will undergo training for up to three months before progressing to Grade 1.
B. Grade 1
B.2.1 An employee at this level is an employee who has completed at least three months training which will include successfully undertaking accredited courses of study or on-the-job training in all of the relevant day-to-day operating processes so as to enable the employee to perform work within the scope of this level.
B.2.2 An employee at this level performs work above and beyond the skills of an employee at Introductory level and to the level of their skills, competence and training.
B.2.3 An employee at this level may include a Cleaner, Maintenance person, Gardener, Handyperson, Animal attendant, Ride attendant, Tour guide, Customer Service Officer, Meet and Greet/Concierge, Photography Attendant, Host/Presenter, Car Park attendant, Parking attendant (not handling cash), Door attendant, General attendant, Admissions/Entrance attendant level 1, Gateperson (not on major gates), Bowling attendant, Usher and Event day attendant.
…
B.2.4 Such an employee will possess the following skills and may be required to perform the following duties:
…
(h) Undertakes general cleaning duties, issuing costumes, grooming, cleaning of animal enclosures, mowing lawns, basic gardening and labouring tasks including operation of simple machinery, laundry duties, brush-cutting, basic labouring including assisting with animal care, basic repairs to clothing, food preparation, ushering, basic preparation of ingredients, assisting employees who are cooking, basic cooking and kitchen attending.
…
B.3 Grade 2
B.3.1 An employee at this level is an employee who has completed an appropriate level of training so as to enable the employee to perform work within the scope of this level.
…
B.3.3 Such an employee will possess the following skills and may be required to perform the following duties:
…
(k) Food preparation, attending counter, handling cash, specific cleaning duties, animal care, ordering stock, hosting duties, operate rides, EFTPOS transactions, basic record keeping, taking bookings and reservations, telephone and switchboard operations, grooming, handling and feeding animals, presentations, operate cash register, beer reticulation, general gardening including operation of machinery, process invoices, drive forklift, stock control, pruning, irrigation, bar attending, waitering, attending snack bar, non-specialised cooking duties, operate games/amusement rides, ground controller/basic security and general park maintenance including maintenance of enclosures.
…
B.5 Grade 4
B.5.1 An employee at this level is an employee who has completed appropriate training or has acquired equivalent competency so as to perform work within the scope of this level. Work performed at this level will be trade level or equivalent.
…
B.5.3 Such an employee will possess the following skills and may be required to perform the following duties:
…
(r) Trade qualified cooking, food production, senior security officer, trade qualified maintenance (i.e. plumbing, spray painting, construction work) designs costumes and production, liaise with agencies, staff recruitment, menu planning, animal training, medication of animals, plantation management, animal education duties, management of a food outlet, cleaning operators, projectionist, bar supervisor, maitre d', greenkeeping, specialised performers and advanced lifeguarding.