The need for specific deterrence
39 Ms Smith has caused a search to be conducted of the data base for information held by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission in respect of Mr Albarouki. That search reveals that he is a current director and sole shareholder of the following companies:
(1) Starlink Corporation Group Pty Ltd;
(2) RNA Property Holdings Pty Ltd; and
(3) Esteem Group Pty Ltd.
40 The FWO submits, again correctly in my view, that the fact that Mr Albarouki continues to be a company office holder for multiple companies means that there is a risk that he will run a business or employ people again in the future.
41 The final matter which I must consider is the totality of any penalties I propose to impose. In Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Australian Safeway Stores Pty Ltd (1997) 145 ALR 36 at 53, Goldberg J said:
The totality principle is designed to ensure that overall an appropriate sentence or penalty is appropriate and that the sum of the penalties imposed for several contraventions does not result in the total of the penalties exceeding what is proper having regard to the totality of the contravening conduct involved: McDonald v R (1994) 48 FCR 555; 120 ALR 629. But that does not mean that a court should commence by determining an overall penalty and then dividing it amongst the various contraventions. Rather the totality principle involves a final overall consideration of the sum of the penalties determined. In Mill v R (1988) 166 CLR 59; 83 ALR 1 the High Court accepted the following statement as correctly describing the totality principle:
The effect of the totality principle is to require a sentencer who has passed a series of sentences, each properly calculated in relation to the offence for which it is imposed and each properly made consecutive in accordance with the principles governing consecutive sentences, to review the aggregate sentence and consider whether the aggregate is "just and appropriate". The principle has been stated many times in various forms: "when a number of offences are being dealt with and specific punishments in respect of them are being totted up to make a total, it is always necessary for the court to take a last look at the total just to see whether it looks wrong"; "when ... cases of multiplicity of offences come before the court, the court must not content itself by doing the arithmetic and passing the sentence which the arithmetic produces. It must look at the totality of the criminal behaviour and ask itself what is the appropriate sentence for all the offences".
42 This approach to totality was followed in Australian Ophthalmic Supplies v McAlary-Smith (at 567 [23] per Gray J; at 576 [71] per Graham J; and at 582 [97] per Buchanan J). The totality principle is applied after I have determined the appropriate penalty for each contravention and it requires me to look at the aggregate penalty to see if it is an appropriate response to the conduct which led to the breaches and is not oppressive or crushing.
43 On 3 June 2015, Mr Albarouki was declared bankrupt by the Federal Circuit Court in proceedings ADG52/2015. That circumstance raises two issues. First, there is an issue as to whether Mr Albarouki's bankruptcy prevents the imposition of pecuniary penalties on him. Secondly, there is an issue as to whether Mr Albarouki's bankruptcy reflects a circumstance about his financial position which should be taken into account in the imposition of pecuniary penalties on him.
44 As to the first matter, s 58(3) of the Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth) provides as follows:
(3) Except as provided by this Act, after a debtor has become a bankrupt, it is not competent for a creditor:
(a) to enforce any remedy against the person or the property of the bankrupt in respect of a provable debt; or
(b) except with the leave of the Court and on such terms as the Court thinks fit, to commence any legal proceeding in respect of a provable debt or take any fresh step in such a proceeding.
45 This subsection does not act as a bar to the imposition of pecuniary penalties in this proceeding. The FWO is not a creditor of Mr Albarouki and the proceedings do not concern a provable debt owed by Mr Albarouki.
46 Section 60(1) of the Bankruptcy Act permits the Court to stay legal proceedings in certain circumstances. It provides as follows:
(1) The Court may, at any time after the presentation of a petition, upon such terms and conditions as it thinks fit:
…
(b) stay any legal process, whether civil or criminal and whether instituted before or after the commencement of this subsection, against the person or property of the debtor:
(i) in respect of the non-payment of a provable debt or of a pecuniary penalty payable in consequence of the non-payment of a provable debt; or
(ii) in consequence of his or her refusal or failure to comply with an order of a court, whether made in civil or criminal proceedings, for the payment of a provable debt;
and, in a case where the debtor is imprisoned or otherwise held in custody in consequence of the non-payment of a provable debt or of a pecuniary penalty referred to subparagraph (i) or in consequence of his or her refusal or failure to comply with an order referred to in subparagraph (ii), discharge the debtor out of custody.
47 Neither Mr Albarouki nor his controlling trustees in bankruptcy have applied to the Court for a stay of this proceeding under s 60(1) of the Bankruptcy Act. As the FWO submits, in any event, this subsection has no application to the proceedings because the proceedings do not relate to the non-payment of a provable debt owed by Mr Albarouki or a penalty payable in consequence of the non-payment of a provable debt owed by him. In the circumstances, there is no need for the Court to consider staying the proceedings of its own motion. The pecuniary penalties in this case are in respect of Mr Albarouki's alleged involvement in contraventions of Commonwealth workplace laws by Mr Al Hilfi. The remedy sought against Mr Albarouki is not, and does not concern, debts provable in the bankruptcy.
48 Section 82 of the Bankruptcy Act provides for debts provable in bankruptcy and, relevantly, is to the following effect:
(1) Subject to this Division, all debts and liabilities, present or future, certain or contingent, to which a bankrupt was subject at the date of the bankruptcy, or to which he or she may become subject before his or her discharge by reason of an obligation incurred before the date of the bankruptcy, are provable in his or her bankruptcy.
…
(3) Penalties or fines imposed by a court in respect of an offence against a law, whether a law of the Commonwealth or not, are not provable in bankruptcy.
49 The pecuniary penalties that may be imposed in this case under s 546 of the FW Act fall within the terms of s 82(3) of the Bankruptcy Act and are not debts provable in the bankruptcy: Mathers and Another v Commonwealth (2004) 134 FCR 135; Cotis v MacPherson (2007) 169 IR 30; Fair Work Ombudsman v Bundy Market Meats Pty Ltd (2009) 190 IR 180.
50 I accept the FWO's submission that the pecuniary penalties sought in this case are not provable against Mr Albarouki in bankruptcy and s 60(1) of the Bankruptcy Act has no application to this proceeding.
51 As to the second issue, the FWO put forward evidence of the circumstances in which Mr Albarouki went into bankruptcy.
52 On 3 February 2012, Starlink commenced proceedings against, among others, Mr Albarouki in the District Court of South Australia (Action No. 0196 of 2012). On 12 June 2014, judgment was entered against Mr Albarouki in the proceeding in the District Court in the sum of $748,828.26. On 16 September 2014, Starlink applied for a Bankruptcy Notice, and Bankruptcy Notice No. 175064 was issued against Mr Albarouki. On 9 February 2015, Mr Albarouki failed to comply with the Bankruptcy Notice based on a judgment debt in the amount of $748,828.26. By Creditors Petition dated 13 February 2015 and Amended Creditors Petition dated 22 April 2015, Starlink sought a sequestration order against Mr Albarouki. As at 2 June 2015, the judgment debt of $748,828.26 remained outstanding, and on 3 June 2015 Mr Albarouki was declared bankrupt.
53 By 20 March 2015, Mr Albarouki had transferred three properties previously owned by him. The details are as follows:
(1) a transfer without monetary consideration registered against a property at 205 Denham Court Road, Denham Court, New South Wales, 2565 ("Denham Court property");
(2) a transfer registered against a property located at 2 Carbasse Crescent, St Helens Park, New South Wales, 2560; and
(3) a transfer without monetary consideration registered against a property located at 125 Fox Valley Road, Denham Court, New South Wales, 2565.
54 Two of the above properties were transferred without monetary consideration. The transfer of the Denham Court property on 3 April 2013 was to Mr Albarouki's ex-wife pursuant to a Binding Financial Agreement. According to a listing on the Raine & Horne website, this property was listed as having a price guide of over $2 million. The precise figure is not legible on the documents before the Court.
55 I accept the submission of the FWO that Mr Albarouki was intentionally divesting himself of assets when it was likely that the District Court proceedings and these proceedings would cause him to have financial commitments.
56 From 14 March 2014 until 6 October 2014, Mr Albarouki was represented in the District Court proceedings by Ms Jacqueline Saldaneri of Saldaneri and Associates. The evidence establishes that even during the period when Mr Albarouki was represented, the District Court was frequently informed that he was overseas in Syria. Mr Albarouki ceased participating in the bankruptcy proceedings and Starlink was required to obtain orders for substituted service in respect of the Bankruptcy Notice. On 10 February 2015, Starlink's solicitors were informed by Ms Saldaneri that she did not act for Mr Albarouki and had not heard from him for quite some time.
57 I accept that the evidence in the bankruptcy proceedings demonstrates that Mr Albarouki frequently travelled overseas. Documents produced by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection show that since the commencement of the bankruptcy proceedings, Mr Albarouki took nine trips overseas and was away from Australia for periods varying from between 11 days and 286 days at a time. Mr Albarouki is an Australian citizen and his departure cards show that he considered himself an ordinary resident of Australia and at all times stated that he was departing Australia on a temporary basis. As with the current proceedings, the bankruptcy proceedings demonstrate that Mr Albarouki once again ceased participating in proceedings and attempted to avoid his legal obligations.
58 I accept the submission of the FWO that Mr Albarouki's bankruptcy arises, in part, as a result of his own conduct and that the proceeding should not result in a lower penalty being imposed by the Court.
59 I have had regard to all the circumstances. I think that the contraventions fall within the serious category, having regard to the low paid nature of the industry, the vulnerability of the workers and, in particular, the extent of the underpayments. I see no reason to distinguish between the various contraventions. The Legislature has already done that insofar as the provision of pay slips and record keeping contraventions may be considered less significant than the other contraventions. I will impose a penalty of 75% of the maximum with respect to each contravention.