Rizkalla v CDC Geelong Pty Ltd
Citation: [2026] FCA 249
At a glance
- Employees affected
- 1
What happened
A self-represented litigant, Rizkalla, brought a general protections claim under Part 3-1 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) against CDC Geelong Pty Ltd and related respondents. The claim sought pecuniary penalties for alleged contraventions of civil penalty provisions. The second to fourth respondents were alleged to have been involved in those contraventions. The matter came before the Federal Court on the respondents' application to strike out Rizkalla's amended statement of claim under rule 16.21 of the Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth), on the basis that the pleading was deficient. The pleading apparently incorporated cross-references to a schedule of particulars.
What it means for employees
Self-represented employees bringing general protections claims in the Federal Court must ensure their pleadings meet formal court requirements. A claim can be struck out if the statement of claim is poorly structured or does not clearly set out the facts and legal basis for each allegation, even if the underlying complaint may have merit.
Every statement above is drawn from the published decision. Read the original here:
https://www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/judgments/Judgments/fca/single/2026/2026fca0249This 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 →