Related applications

Application for stay of operation of order

A decision of a Commissioner continues to have effect even after an appeal against that decision is lodged unless an application to stay the operation of that decision is granted. You may apply for a stay of operation of order using Form 1 - General Application.

An application for a stay is made to suspend the operation of an order of the Commission which requires a party to take some course of action within a certain period of time. For example, as a party to the original application, you may have been ordered to pay a sum of money by a certain date and you are appealing against that order. If you are successful in your application for a stay, you would not need to pay until the appeal has been dealt with by the Full Bench.

After making your appeal to the Full Bench, you may submit to the Commission an application for the original decision to be stayed wholly or in part as needed (regulation 102(6) of the Industrial Relations Commission Regulations 2005 (WA)). You can use the submission of the appeal as a ground to support your application for stay. If granted, the stay will be in effect until the appeal is determined.

An order granting a stay may be made by the presiding Commissioner (either the Chief Commissioner or the Senior Commissioner) under s 49(11) of the Industrial Relations Act 1979 (WA).

Filing an application for stay

You can make an application for stay by filing a Form 1, which must include the grounds in support of your application. 

Grounds to support the application

In Form 1, you will need to satisfy the presiding Commissioner that it is appropriate to grant the stay. This is because ordinarily a successful party is entitled to enjoy the benefit of the order in their favour at first instance.

The grounds in support of an application for a stay should refer to the following:

  • the reason for seeking the stay;
  • the consequences of the stay not being granted (e.g. will the appeal become useless if the stay is not granted?);
  • anything else which affects the balance of convenience if the stay is not granted (i.e. which party will be inconvenienced more if the stay is not granted);
  • whether the appeal has a reasonable prospect of success; and
  • if there are any other special circumstances that support the granting of the stay.
What happens next?

Once filed, the application will be forwarded to the presiding Commissioner's Chambers to be endorsed with procedural directions which are issued to the Registrar of the Commission.

The directions will ordinarily include the date and time by which the Registrar is to serve the application on the parties and a hearing date. The directions may also include a requirement to swear an affidavit setting out the facts which support the application. Usually, the matter is referred to a hearing which will determine the outcome of the application.

Application for an appeal to be 'struck out'

In some cases, a respondent to an appeal may file an application for an appeal to be 'struck out' or dismissed.

In this situation, the respondent to the appeal would become the applicant, and the appellant would be the respondent. 

Filing an application for the appeal to be struck out 

To make an application for the appeal to be 'struck out' or dismissed, you should file a Form 1A - Multipurpose Form

You may make this type of application if you are a respondent to the matter, and you take the position that the appeal is incompetent or not within the jurisdiction. 

What happens next? 

When an application for an appeal to be struck out or dismissed is filed, the Full Bench will consider the application while dealing with the appeal. 

Parties will be kept informed by the Commission as to the status of the application, and whether they will be required to attend a hearing.

Application for an extension of time

A person who has failed to file a Form 8 - Notice of Appeal Against a Decision Made by the Commission or the Industrial Magistrates Court or appeal book within the prescribed time frame may still be able to file an appeal, provided they also file an application seeking an extension of time.

If appellants do not file their appeal within the prescribed time frame, they run the risk of not being able to have their appeal heard. 

Filing an application for an extension of time

To make the application, you must file a Form 1A - Multipurpose Form.

Appeals

An application seeking to extend the time to file an appeal to the Full Bench must include grounds which demonstrate sound reasons why the appeal has been filed out of time, and why the Full Bench should grant the application. The granting of leave to extend the time is in no way automatic.

Appeal books

The same extension of time application process is to be followed where an extension of time is required to file appeal books, outside of the 14-day prescribed time period.

What happens next?

When an application seeking to extend the time for lodging an appeal or an appeal book is filed, the Full Bench will consider the application after hearing from the applicant and the respondent. This may be done informally, or by way of a formal hearing. Parties will be kept informed by the Commission as to the status of the application, and whether they will be required to attend a hearing.

Following determination of the application to extend time to file an appeal, the Full Bench will issue relevant orders.

Appealing a decision of the Full Bench

The next level of appeal after the Full Bench is the Industrial Appeal Court (also referred to as ‘IAC’) which is a separate jurisdiction to the Commission. If you are not satisfied with a decision of the Full Bench or the Commission in Court Session, you may be able to appeal the decision to the Industrial Appeal Court. More information can be found here.