[2024] WASAT 122
General information, not legal advice.
State Administrative Tribunal (WA)
2024-11-19
Original judgment source is linked above.
ACT : EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ACT 1984 (WA)
CITATION : JET AVIATION AUSTRALIA PTY LTD [2024] WASAT 122
Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (WA) (EO Act) - Exemption application - Race - Nationality - Application for exemption under s 135 of the EO Act from the operation of s 37, s 39 and s 49 of the EO Act - Applicant contracted to provide aircraft support to the Australian Department of Defence - Strict contractual condition that the Applicant will comply with United States import and export control laws and regulations which prohibit and/or restrict persons of certain nationalities accessing controlled defence technology, data and products - Applicant requires exemption so as to comply with its contractual obligations and so the Applicant and its Western Australian employees do not contravene United States Law - International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) - Export Administration Regulations (EAR) - Whether exemption from discrimination on the grounds of race in areas related to employment warranted in the circumstances - Exemption granted for 5 years - Terms and conditions imposed on grant of exemption
Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)
Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (WA), s 3, s 4, s 37, s 39, s 49, s 50, s 50(d), s 51, s 52, s 68, s 69, s 70, s 71, s 72, s 73, s 74, s 135, s 135(1), s 135(2), s 135(3), s 135(6), s 136(1), s 136(2), s 137, Pt VI
Equal Opportunity Regulations 1986 (WA), reg 24
Interpretation Act 1984 (WA), s 5
ASC Pty Ltd [2024] WASAT 39
BAE Systems and Commissioner for Equal Opportunity [2019] WASAT 79
Boeing Australia Holdings Pty Ltd (Anti-Discrimination Exemption) [2007] VCAT 532
Cobham Aviation Services Australia Pty Ltd and Ors [2023] WASAT 21
Commissioner for Equal Opportunity v ADI Limited [2007] WASCA 261
FAI Insurances Ltd v Winneke [1982] HCA 26; (1982) 151 CLR 342
Le v Minister for Immigration & Multicultural & Indigenous Affairs [2004] FCA 875
Linfox Australia Pty Ltd and Equal Opportunity Commission [2020] WASAT 111
Padfield v Minister for Agriculture Fisheries & Food [1968] UKHL 1; [1968] AC 997
Raytheon Australia Pty Ltd and Commissioner for Equal Opportunity [2008] WASAT 266
Thales Australia Ltd and Commissioner for Equal Opportunity [2012] WASAT 222
(1) Whether I should grant the exemption sought by Jet Aviation.
(2) If I decide to grant the exemption, whether it should be subject to any conditions or limitations.
(3) If I decide to grant the exemption, the length of time it should be granted for.
(a) by 9 July 2024, Jet Aviation was to send a notice of the application to each of its Western Australian employees and contractors and place the notice on its website up to and including 6 August 2024.
(b) by 20 August 2024, Jet Aviation must provide the Tribunal with any submissions or comments it had received in response to the application and the notice of the application.
(a) The application to the Tribunal made by Jet Aviation on 11 June 2024 with 'Reasons for Application' and 'Annexure A Draft Proposed Exemption';
(b) Airbus Consent Agreement dated 29 January 2020;
(c) Affidavit of Craig Purry, Vice President of Jet Aviation Defence APAC, dated 31 May 2024 (Purry Affidavit);
(d) Australian Securities & Investments Commission Current Company Extract for Jet Aviation Australia Pty Ltd (ASIC Search);
(e) Certificate of Good Standing for 'General Dynamics Corporation' certified by Jeffrey W Bullock, Secretary of State, Delaware (GS Certificate);
(f) Jet Aviation's 'APAC Region Diversity, Equality & Inclusion Policy' with an issue date of March 2021;
(g) Proposed Charging Letter, undated, with the subject line 'Re: Alleged Violations of the Arms Export Control Act and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations by FLIR Systems, Inc;
(i) Written submission of the Applicant dated 20 August 2024;
(j) Affidavit of John Craig Byrne, Commissioner for Equal Opportunity dated 3 July 2024;
(k) Affidavit of Sarah Abbass dated 20 August 2024, with attachments SA-1 to SA-3;
(l) Written submissions of the Applicant filed on 15 November 2024; and
(m) Affidavit of Sarah Abbass dated 14 November 2024, filed on 15 November 2024, with copies of the exemptions granted to Jet Aviation in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia in attachment SA-4 (Second Abbass Affidavit).
(a) to eliminate, so far as is possible, discrimination against persons on the ground of sex, marital status or pregnancy, family responsibility or family status, sexual orientation, race, religious or political conviction, impairment, age, publication of relevant details on the Fines Enforcement Registrar's website or, in certain cases, gender history in the areas of work, accommodation, education, the provision of goods, facilities and services and the activities of clubs; and
(b) to eliminate, so far as is possible, sexual harassment and racial harassment in the workplace and in educational institutions and sexual harassment and racial harassment related to accommodation; and
(c) to promote recognition and acceptance within the community of the equality of men and women; and
(d) to promote recognition and acceptance within the community of the equality of persons of all races and of all persons regardless of their sexual orientation, religious or political convictions or their impairments or ages.
race includes colour, descent, ethnic or national origin or nationality and the fact that a race may comprise 2 or more distinct races does not prevent it being a race for the purposes of this Act;
(1) It is unlawful for an employer to discriminate against a person on the ground of the race of that person -
(a) in the arrangements made for the purpose of determining who should be offered employment; or
(b) in determining who should be offered employment; or
(c) in the terms or conditions on which employment is offered.
(2) It is unlawful for an employer to discriminate against an employee on the ground of the race of the employee -
(a) in the terms or conditions of employment that the employer affords the employee; or
(b) by denying the employee access, or limiting the employee's access, to opportunities for promotion, transfer or training, or to any other benefits associated with employment; or
(d) by subjecting the employee to any other detriment.
It is unlawful for a principal to discriminate against a contract worker on the ground of the contract worker's race -
(a) in the terms or conditions on which the principal allows the contract worker to work; or
(b) by not allowing the contract worker access, or limiting the contract worker's access, to any benefit associated with the work in respect of which the contract with the employer is made; or
(c) by denying the contract worker access, or limiting the contract worker's access, to any benefit associated with the work in respect of which the contract with the employer is made; or
(d) by subjecting the contract worker to any other detriment.
Where, by virtue of a provision of Division 2 or this Division, it would be unlawful in particular circumstances for a person to discriminate against another person, on the ground of the other person's race, in doing a particular act, it is unlawful for the first-mentioned person to request or require the other person to provide, in connection with or for the purposes of the doing of the act, information (whether by way of completing a form or otherwise) that persons of a different race would not, in circumstances that are the same or not materially different, be requested or required to provide.
Nothing in this Part applies to or in respect of any work or employment where that work or employment involves any one or more of the following -
(a) participation in a dramatic performance or other entertainment in a capacity for which a person of a particular race is required for reasons of authenticity; or
(b) participation as an artist's or photographic model in the production of a work of art, visual image or sequence of visual images for which a person of a particular race is required for reasons of authenticity; or
(c) working in a place where food or drink is, for payment or not, provided to and consumed by persons in circumstances in which a person of a particular race is required for reasons of authenticity; or
(d) providing persons of a particular race with services for the purpose of promoting their welfare where those services can most effectively be provided by a person of the same race.
Nothing in Division 2 or 3 renders it unlawful to do an act a purpose of which is -
(a) to ensure that persons of a particular race have equal opportunities with other persons in circumstances in relation to which provision is made by this Act; or
(b) to afford persons of a particular race access to facilities, services or opportunities to meet their special needs in relation to employment, education, training or welfare, or any ancillary benefits.'
This Part does not apply to or in respect of any act of an authority to which Part IX applies being an act performed pursuant to a Western Australian law that discriminates between Australian citizens and persons who are not Australian citizens.
(a) acts done to comply with an order of the Tribunal or a court: s 69;
(b) acts that would allow charitable benefits to be conferred on a class of person: s 70;
(c) the admission of persons as members of a voluntary body or the provision of benefits, facilities or services to members of the body: s 71;
(d) the acts or practices of religious bodies including the ordination or appointment of persons as priests or ministers: s 72;
(e) the establishment of educational instructions for religious purposes: s 73; and
(f) the provision of housing accommodation for aged persons: s 74.
(1) The Tribunal may, on application by a person, by order, grant to the person an exemption from the operation of a specified provision of Part II, IIAA, IIA, IIB, III, IV, IVA, IVB or IVC.
(2) The Tribunal may, on application by a person to whom an exemption from a provision of Part II, IIAA, IIA, IIB, III, IV, IVA, IVB or IVC has been granted under subsection (1), by order, grant to the person a further exemption from the operation of that provision.
Nothing in Parts II, IIAA, IIA, IIB, III, IV, IVA, IVB and IVC renders it unlawful for a person who has been granted an exemption from a provision of one of those Parts, or a person in the employment or under the direction or control of a person who has been granted such an exemption, to do an act in accordance with the provisions of the order by which the exemption was granted.
(a) may be granted subject to such terms and conditions as are specified in the order; and
(b) may be varied either on the application of the person to whom the exemption is granted or at the instance of the Tribunal; and
(c) may be expressed to apply only in such circumstances, or in relation to such activities, as are specified in the order; and
(d) shall be granted for a period specified in the order not exceeding 5 years.
The Scope of the Tribunal's discretion to grant an exemption
Is the exemption reasonable and necessary having regard to the reasons for which it is sought?
Are there non-discriminatory ways of achieving the purposes for which the exemption is sought?
The public and private impacts of the grant of the proposed exemption
The requirement for employees and contract workers and applicants for employment or contract work to provide information about their nationality, country of birth and past and current citizenship is unlikely to cause much detriment in and of itself. Any detriment will occur from the use of that information to exclude people of particular nationalities, countries of birth and who hold or have held citizenship of particular countries from particular work. I have no evidence before me from which I can draw any conclusions about the extent of that detriment. All I can do in the circumstances is identify the potential detriment and conclude that a loss of a job opportunity may have serious consequences for particular individuals. Further, restricting some employees or contractors from certain work might create two classes of employees with the result that staff of particular nationalities may be regarded differently to others in the Applicants' workforces.
Whether Jet Aviation has and will continue to take any reasonable steps to avoid or reduce the adverse effect of the discriminatory acts
(a) Aircraft Maintenance Engineer/Technician
(b) Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer/Technician
(c) Senior/Design Engineer
(d) Chief Design Engineer
(e) Operations/MRO [Maintenance, Repair and Operations] Manager
(f) Program Manager/General Manager
(g) Information Technology staff - some positions
(a) Human resources staff members
(b) Administration staff
(c) Executive assistants
(d) Marketing and media staff
(e) Finance and payroll staff
(f) Procurement/purchasing staff
(g) Contract administration staff
(h) Reception staff
(i) Cleaners, security and facilities staff
(j) Legal staff
(k) Information technology staff (except positions that require access to ITAR-controlled items).
Whether any other persons or bodies other than the applicants support the application
Should the exemption be subject to conditions or limitations?
(a) request information relating to the nationality, country of birth and current and past citizenship from existing and potential employees and contractors;
(b) take a person's nationality, country of birth and current and past citizenship into account in determining who should be offered employment or contract work in areas requiring access to ITAR and/or EAR-controlled items and when making decisions as to the participation of employees or contractors in such work;
(c) maintain records of the nationality, country of birth and current and past citizenship of all employees and contractors who have or may have access to ITAR and/or EAR- controlled items in the performance of their work;
(d) advertise positions and/or otherwise inform applicants for employment in roles which require access to ITARcontrolled items and are subject to permits, licences, approvals or agreements made under US and Australian import and export control laws that they may be adversely affected by ITAR and EAR controls if they:
(ii) hold, or have held, dual nationality and/or citizenship from countries other than the US or Australia; or
(iii) hold permanent residency in a country or countries other than the US or Australia; or
(iv) have substantive contacts with countries proscribed by section 126.1 of ITAR or the EAR.
(e) ensure that ITAR and/or EAR-controlled items are disclosed only to persons who are not prohibited from receiving a disclosure in accordance with applicable United States laws;
(f) impose limitations or prohibitions on persons of particular nationalities, countries of origin and current and past citizenship having access to ITAR and/or EARcontrolled items in the performance of their work;
(g) to the extent necessary to comply with their legal obligations to the Commonwealth, disclose to the Commonwealth the nationality, country of birth and current and past citizenship of all employees and contractors who require access to ITAR and/or EARcontrolled items in the performance of their work;
(h) disclose to US Contractors with whom any of Jet Aviation is party to a US Export Authorisation and to the US Department of State, the nationality, country of birth and current and past citizenship of all employees and contractors who will have access to ITAR and/or EAR-controlled items in the performance of their work; and
(i) establish security systems which will prevent the unauthorised reexport or retransfer of ITAR and/or EARcontrolled items.
(a) It will only apply to conduct by Jet Aviation where:
(i) that conduct is necessary to enable Jet Aviation to enter into and/or perform contractual undertakings requiring access to ITAR and/or EAR-controlled items; and
(ii) Jet Aviation has taken all steps that are reasonably available (including steps that might be taken in negotiating and performing the terms of their agreements with US Contractors) to avoid the necessity of engaging in conduct that would otherwise be in breach of sections 37, 39 and 49 of the EO Act.
(b) Where, in the exercise of this exemption, an employee or contract worker is moved from a project involving the use of ITAR and/or EAR-controlled items to any other work controlled by Jet Aviation or any of their related entities, Jet Aviation must explain to the person through a duly authorised officer why he or she is being transferred and must otherwise take all reasonable steps to avoid or limit harm or loss to that person.
(c) Where Jet Aviation uses a system of security passes to reflect the fact of access to ITAR and/or EAR-controlled items or levels of access to any security-sensitive material by employees and contract workers, the passes may be coded but not in such a way as to identify the nationality, country of birth and current and past citizenship of the person or the reasons for that person's level of access.
(d) All information relating to nationality, country of birth and current and past citizenship and access to ITAR and/or EAR-controlled items shall be restricted to technology control officers, export control officers, security officers, legal officers and human resources officers of Jet Aviation or its properly appointed nominees on a 'need-to-know' basis.
(e) Jet Aviation's employment policies shall be amended as soon as reasonably possible so as to refer to the terms of this exemption, including all conditions attaching to it, and to make it clear that the purpose of the request for information regarding nationality, country of birth and current and past citizenship is made solely for the purposes of compliance with United States laws.
(f) ITAR exemptions, exceptions or other provisions, including section 126.18 of ITAR, is not applicable.
I certify that the preceding paragraph(s) comprise the reasons for decision of the State Administrative Tribunal.
(1982) 151 CLR 342