Martin v Norton Rose Fulbright Australia
[2020] FCA 5
At a glance
Source factsCourt
Federal Court of Australia
Decision date
2020-01-06
Before
Kerr J, Wigney J
Source
Original judgment source is linked above.
Judgment (11 paragraphs)
- The Respondent's oral application that this proceeding be remitted for determination by a Full Court on the basis that a single judge of the Court lacks jurisdiction to hear and determine it be dismissed.
- The Respondent pay the Applicant's costs of that application, as agreed or assessed.
- The Respondent's oral application for Kerr J's recusal be dismissed. Note: Entry of orders is dealt with in Rule 39.32 of the Federal Court Rules 2011.
KERR J: 1 On 19 September 2016, Norton Rose Fulbright Australia (NRFA) filed an originating application for the following relief under s 39B of the Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth), relying on the grounds set out in a statement of claim subsequently filed: 1. Pursuant to section 21 of the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth), a declaration that the Fair Work Commission does not have jurisdiction under Part 3-1 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) to deal with the 'General Protections Application Involving Dismissal' dated 5 August 2016 filed by the Second Respondent (FWC Application). 2. Pursuant to section 23 of the Act, an order in the nature of prohibition against the First Respondents restraining them from dealing with, or otherwise purporting to exercise jurisdiction over the Applicants in respect, of the FWC Application. 3. An order that the Second Respondent pay the Applicants' costs of these proceedings on an indemnity basis. 2 The President and Members of the Fair Work Commission (FWC) were named as the First Respondents. Mr Martin was named as the Second Respondent. 3 The proceeding was originally in the docket of Wigney J. 4 It is not necessary to traverse any prior complexities in the proceeding. It is enough for the purposes of this decision to indicate that orders were subsequently made for the trial in the proceeding NSD1610/2016 to be conducted concurrently with the trial in separate proceedings: SAD49/2017, in which Mr Martin is the Applicant and NRFA the Respondent. 5 Ultimately, both matters were allocated to my docket. At the time of writing, they are listed for hearing from 2-6 March 2020. 6 In anticipation of that circumstance, I conducted a case management hearing on 23 December 2019 with the intention of settling any outstanding procedural issues in the lead up to the trial date. 7 However, during that hearing Mr Martin raised a threshold issue concerning whether I as a single judge of the Court had jurisdiction to further hear and determine the matter raised by NRFA's originating application in NSD1610/2016. 8 Mr Martin submitted that although s 20(1) of the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) (the FCA Act) provides that "except as otherwise provided by this Act or any other Act, the original jurisdiction of the Court shall be exercised by a single Judge", that general rule is subject to an express exception as provided for in s 20(2). That exception is as follows: (2) The jurisdiction of the Court in a matter coming before the Court from a tribunal or authority (other than a court) while constituted by, or by members who include, a person who is a Judge of the Court or of another court created by the Parliament shall be exercised by a Full Court. 9 Mr Martin submitted that I therefore lacked jurisdiction with respect to proceeding NSD1610/2016. I should refer the matter to a Full Court, and not make any further procedural orders. 10 Having regard to that submission I gave leave to both parties to file any written submissions, limited to 5 pages, they might wish to make on that issue. I adjourned the hearing until the following day, to provide an opportunity for further oral argument. 11 On 24 December 2019, after receiving submissions from both parties I made the following orders: 1. That the Respondent's oral application that this proceeding be remitted for determination by a Full Court on the basis that a single judge of the Court lacks jurisdiction to hear and determine it be dismissed. 2. The Respondent pay the Applicant's costs of that application, as agreed or assessed. 3. The Respondent's oral application for my recusal be dismissed. 12 I indicated that I would publish my reasons as shortly afterwards as was possible. These are my reasons.