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Australia Leading Case separation of powersgrounds illegality

Commonwealth v Director, Fair Work Building Industry Inspectorate

(2015) 258 CLR 482
JurisdictionAustralia
CourtHigh Court of Australia
Year2015
StatusBinding authority

Summary

High Court of Australia held courts may not accept consent penalties exceeding the range the court would otherwise impose, affirming judicial independence in civil penalty proceedings under the Fair Work Act.

Key Principle

freedom of association; adverse action for engaging in industrial activity; scope of Fair Work Act workplace rights protections

Area of Law

employment

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ZG Operations Australia Pty Ltd v Jamsek (2022) 275 CLR 215

HCA confirmed that employee/contractor distinction is determined by contractual terms alone, rejecting the multi-factorial totality-of-relationship test.

WorkPac Pty Ltd v Rossato (2021) 271 CLR 456

A casual employee's status is determined by the contractual terms at engagement; regularity of work pattern does not transform casual employment into permanent employment.

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