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FWCFair Work Commission · 31 December 2025

Mr Michael Tapp v Ausgrid Management Pty Ltd Trading AS Ausgrid

Citation: [2026] FWC 179

At a glance

Employees affected
1

What happened

Michael Tapp commenced an application for relief from unfair dismissal. He was employed by Ausgrid Management Pty Ltd, trading as Ausgrid. The Fair Work Commission considered whether his dismissal was unfair. The decision relates to application U2025/12587.

What was decided

The Fair Work Commission dismissed Mr Tapp’s application for relief from unfair dismissal. The Commission found Ausgrid had a valid reason related to Mr Tapp’s conduct for the dismissal. While there was a lack of procedural fairness, the Commission considered other matters and determined the dismissal was not harsh. The decision references cases including *Commonwealth of Australia (Australian Taxation Office) T/A Australian Taxation Office v Shamir*.

What it means for employers

Employers should ensure they have a valid reason for dismissing employees and follow fair procedures. Even if procedural fairness is lacking, a dismissal may not be considered unfair if other factors suggest it was not harsh.

What it means for employees

Employees who believe they have been unfairly dismissed should apply to the Fair Work Commission for relief. The Commission will consider the reason for dismissal and whether the process was fair, but also other relevant factors.

unfair-dismissalgeneral-protections

Every statement above is drawn from the published decision. Read the original here:

https://www.fwc.gov.au/document-view/decisions/mr-michael-tapp-v-ausgrid-management-pty-ltd-trading-as-ausgrid-2026-fwc-1

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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 →

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