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Fair Work Australia Thursday 15 September 2011

Meeting with Fair Work Australia 15th September 2011 – 3: 00 p.m.

Meeting was primarily a procedural meeting.  It confirmed that there will be a face to face hearing in Cairns in the State Magistrates court (room used by Fair Work Australia)  on Thursday 20 October 2011 starting at 11: 00 a.m.

Two issues to be dealt with during this meeting in October:

1. Extension of time - If they can accept my application for unfair dismissal out of time.     

2. Jurisdictional issue -  The Church (Synod) are arguing that Fair Work Australia has no jurisdiction over this matter as a minister of the religion is not an ‘employee’.

Synod has made it clear that from their point of view the issue of whether a Minister is an employee is crucial  and have therefore retained Queens Counsel to argue their point. Their team will include 2 Barristers and a Solicitor for the Church.   

Personal comment: It is sad that the Qld Synod of the UCA, a Church that prides itself in social justice, continues to do all that it can to silence the voice of its own people.

Thank-you to all for your continued prayers.  We continue to stand firm and to be still and know that Jesus Christ is Lord of the Church and the world as a whole.

Grace and peace

Hedley 


Current Issues - Good Samaritan & Termination of Placement

This section of the website (and our communication strategy as a whole) will seek to: 

  1. Increase awareness of events leading up to the decision by UCA QLD Synod dated Thursday 23rd June 2011, to terminate the placement of Reverend Dr Hedley Fihaki as Minister ofEmmanuel UCA Congregation in Cairns.
     
  2. Enhance understanding of the reasons for the decision by Reverence Dr Hedley Fihaki, Emmanuel Church Council and Congregation to “make a stand”, including follow-up action we have taken.
     
  3. Enhance coordination of offers of support through proactive communication of positive avenues for action.  This will include spiritual, physical, material and/or financial suggestions.
     
  4. Improve key stakeholder and media relations through continuous contact and positive  communication of appropriate information.
     
  5. Increase knowledge of and build support for Emmanuel Congregation’s Good Samaritan Ministry that emerged in response to the significant social issue of homelessness in Cairns, and the  availability of suitable yet vacant church property.  We were challenged by the parable in the  Bible of the Good Samaritan.     

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