[2025] FWC 986
Citation: [2025] FWC 986
What happened
Jamie-Lee Corless-Crane was dismissed from Aurenne Management Services Pty Ltd in January 2025 after an investigation into a loss of ore at their Mt Ida mine in Western Australia. She worked as a Pit Technician and her role involved guiding excavator operators. The incident occurred when the wrong mining location was marked out by other geology department members. Aurenne filed a response stating no jurisdictional objections. The matter proceeded to a determinative conference.
What was decided
The Fair Work Commission considered whether Aurenne should be granted permission for Ms Simone McKeown, a human resources director, to be represented at the determinative conference. The Commission denied Aurenne’s request for representation, finding Ms McKeown capable of representing the company and that allowing representation only to Aurenne would be unfair to Ms Corless-Crane. The Commission noted Ms McKeown had legal assistance in preparing submissions. The hearing proceeded with Ms Corless-Crane representing herself.
What it means for employers
Employers should ensure their representatives in Fair Work proceedings are adequately prepared and capable. The Commission considers fairness when granting representation, and denying one party representation when the other is self-representing can be problematic. Human resources professionals may not automatically be deemed capable of representing a company in complex legal matters.
What it means for employees
Employees may represent themselves in Fair Work proceedings, even against a represented employer. The Commission will consider the capabilities of both parties when deciding whether to grant representation.
Every statement above is drawn from the published decision. Read the original here:
https://www.fwc.gov.au/documents/decisionssigned/pdf/2025fwc986.pdfWant more cases like this?
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This summary was drafted by AI from the published decision and reviewed before publishing. It is general information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, speak to the Fair Work Ombudsman (13 13 94) or a qualified lawyer. About these summaries & corrections →