A doubling up of moral responsibility & objective seriousness?
38 Two matters which varied in emphasis throughout the hearing, but which ultimately emerged as common ground, were:
the proposition that it was of central importance to ensure that any penalty imposed on one or other of the Respondents did not operate such as to impose a "double punishment" for the one contravention and that multiple contraventions may be regarded in some circumstances as a single "course of conduct"; and
any penalties imposed must be regarded in their "totality" to ensure that the penalties imposed were not disproportionate to the gravity of the contraventions.
Each of these propositions should be briefly explored - but it was the manner in which penalties were sought to be apportioned between each of the Respondents that ultimately divided the parties.
39 As a matter of general principle, Counsel for the Respondents was on sound ground in relying upon the following observations of Tracey J in Director of Fair Work Building Industry Inspectorate v Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union [2015] FCA 1213:
[19] Where, as in the present proceeding, multiple contraventions arise from a series of related events which constitute a course of conduct principles of proportionality and consistency come into play in determining the appropriateness of the penalty …
[20] The ultimate penalty "must be proportionate to the offence and in accordance with the prevailing standards of punishment" …
[21] Consistency requires that "[l]ike cases should be treated in like manner": Wong v R (2001) 207 CLR 584 at 591 (Gleeson CJ). The consistency principle does not require a detailed factual comparison between past cases and that presently under consideration with a view to fixing a higher or lower penalty depending on the outcome of the comparative analysis …
[22] It is also necessary to ensure that a respondent is not punished twice for the same conduct. The principle was explained by the Full Court in Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Cahill (2010) 269 ALR 1 at 12 as follows:
It [the "course of conduct" principle] is a concept which arises in the criminal context generally and one which may be relevant to the proper exercise of the sentencing discretion. The principle recognises that where there is an interrelationship between the legal and factual elements of two or more offences for which an offender has been charged, care must be taken to ensure that the offender is not punished twice for what is essentially the same criminality. That requires careful identification of what is "the same criminality" and that is necessarily a factually specific enquiry. Bare identity of motive for commission of separate offences will seldom suffice to establish the same criminality in separate and distinct offending acts or omissions.
(original emphasis)
[23] This principle is to be applied separately from and anterior to the final check constituted by the application of the totality principle … It does not necessarily require the application of a single penalty for all of the contravening conduct …
40 Reference should also be made to s 557(1) of the Fair Work Act which provides as follows:
For the purposes of this Part, 2 or more contraventions of a civil remedy provision referred to in subsection (2) are, subject to subsection (3), taken to constitute a single contravention if:
(a) the contraventions are committed by the same person; and
(b) the contraventions arose out of a course of conduct by the person.
In Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Cahill [2010] FCAFC 39, (2010) 269 ALR 1 at 12 to 13 Middleton and Gordon JJ said of the principles relevant to whether conduct constitutes a "single course of conduct":
[39] … a "course of conduct" or the "one transaction principle" is not a concept peculiar to the industrial context. It is a concept which arises in the criminal context generally and one which may be relevant to the proper exercise of the sentencing discretion. The principle recognises that where there is an interrelationship between the legal and factual elements of two or more offences for which an offender has been charged, care must be taken to ensure that the offender is not punished twice for what is essentially the same criminality. That requires careful identification of what is "the same criminality" and that is necessarily a factually specific enquiry.
…
[41] … the principle recognises that where there is an interrelationship between the legal and factual elements of two or more offences for which an offender has been charged, the court must ensure that the offender is not punished twice for the same conduct. In other words, where two offences arise as a result of the same or related conduct that is not a disentitling factor to the application of the single course of conduct principle but a reason why a court may have regard to that principle, as one of the applicable sentencing principles, to guide it in the exercise of the sentencing discretion …
[42] A court is not compelled to utilise the principle …
[Emphasis in original]
41 The "totality principle" was addressed as follows by Goldberg J in Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Australian Safeway Stores Pty Ltd (1997) 145 ALR 36 at 53:
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 … But that does not mean that a court should commence by determining an overall penalty and then dividing it among the various contraventions. Rather the totality principle involves a final overall consideration of the sum of the penalties determined …
As Spender J pointed out in McDonald v R [(1994) 48 FCR 555 at 556]:
Implicit … is that the sentence for each offence should be "properly calculated" in relation to the offence for which it is imposed.
It is explicit in this statement that a sentencer or penalty fixer must, as an initial step, impose a penalty appropriate for each contravention and then as a check, at the end of the process, consider whether the aggregate is appropriate for the total contravening conduct involved …
In Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v AGL Sales Pty Ltd [2013] FCA 1030 Middleton J likewise referred to the "totality principle" being a "final consideration" as follows:
[61] Lastly, I must consider the totality principle, parity and deterrence.
[62] With respect to the totality principle, it is trite law that the total penalty for related offences should not exceed what is proper for the entire contravening conduct involved … Put another way, the totality principle involves a final consideration of the sum of the penalties determined …
See also: Maritime Union of Australia v Fair Work Ombudsman [2016] FCAFC 102 at [39] at per Tracey and Buchanan JJ.
42 Neither of these principles was put in issue by the Fair Work Ombudsman.
43 It was the manner of application of these principles to the quantification of penalties which was put in issue by Counsel for the Respondents. Of particular concern to the Respondents was to ensure that "the particular [Respondent's] role in the contravention" should be borne in mind to "avoid inappropriately double counting matters that have been taken into account in relation to another Respondent".
44 On the approach of the Respondents, each of the Tables prepared by the Fair Work Ombudsman in respect to each of the Respondents erred in:
setting forth the maximum penalty that could be imposed and in respect to that maximum a percentage to reflect the fact of co-operation; and
setting forth a range of penalty in respect to the maximum penalty as discounted.
To so approach the process of quantification, it was urged on behalf of the Respondents:
gave inappropriate prominence to the maximum penalty that was prescribed by the Legislature for each of the contraventions; and
gave too little prominence to the "objective seriousness" of the conduct which constituted the contravention.
The approach of the Fair Work Ombudsman, it was submitted on behalf of the Respondents, failed to properly take into account the "moral responsibility" of each Respondent - the fact that a particular contravention led in fact to a comparatively modest underpayment of entitlements, it was submitted, put the "moral responsibility" of the offending Respondent at the very lower end of the penalty regime. The problem with approaching the calculation by reference to the maximum penalty and thereafter applying a "discount" for co-operation, as it was submitted, was to start the process of calculation at the wrong end. Where a contravention led to a comparatively modest underpayment of an entitlement, the starting point in the process of calculation - so the Respondents contended - should be a comparatively modest penalty to which there was thereafter subjected to any reduction for co-operation. The approach of the Fair Work Ombudsman, it was urged on behalf of the Respondents, was "too mathematical" and diverted attention from the actual conduct which constituted the contravention.
45 During the course of closing submissions, Counsel for the Respondents settled upon a submission that the order in which any quantification of penalty was to be approached was to:
calculate the maximum penalty and to thereafter weigh-up against that maximum the "objective seriousness" of the offending conduct; and
apply to the resulting calculation a discount to reflect co-operation.
Counsel for the Respondents accepted that:
the starting point for any process of quantification was the maximum penalty set by the Legislature;
and that, however calculated:
the "totality principle" was a final check on the overall penalty.
46 But this difference in approach, it is respectfully considered, is in many cases - if not all cases - a difference without substance. So much follows from the fact that it matters not - at least in the present case - in which order the calculation is performed.
47 On the approach of the Respondents, assuming a maximum penalty of $50,000; that the "objective seriousness" of the contravention is somewhere towards the lower end of the maximum penalty that could be imposed; and that there should be a reduction of 25% for co-operation, the Respondents' process of calculation would be as follows:
Maximum penalty Objective seriousness (including a consideration of adverse inferences) Discount for co-operation (e.g., 25%) Penalty
$50,000 $12,500 $3,125 $9,375