Court prevents Brumbies from standing down Chief Executive

A temporary injunction preventing the Brumbies from standing down chief executive Michael Jones will remain in place after lawyers spent some of the hearing behind closed doors to discuss sensitive issues in the case, the ABC has reported.

Jones was stood down by the Brumbies board last week after a controversial radio interview on ABC Grandstand, in which he claimed he was being targeted by people outside of the club.

Jones said the rumours were fuelled by people who had been named in a file he presented to police for further investigation relating to the club's move to the University of Canberra, where the Brumbies now train.

Last week the ACT Supreme Court granted a temporary injunction to Jones, suspending the board's decision and allowing him Jones to return to work.

As of Tuesday (29th March), the ABC reported that the Brumbies were attempting to have the court's action overturned. However, at around 6pm yesterday the court was closed to the public and media to allow discussion over sensitive issues at the heart of the case.

The court was opened just under an hour later, when Justice Richard Refshauge reserved his decision and ordered that the temporary injunction remain in place.

He also ordered both parties to refrain from speaking publicly about the case.

The sensitive material being considered by the court was contained in an affidavit filed by Jones to support his application for the temporary injunction, but which was sealed to the public.

Earlier on Tuesday, the ABC reported that lawyers for the Brumbies argued the temporary injunction was based on a flawed premise as the original application relied on whistle-blower legislation.

They told the court it had erred in granting the temporary injunction because the criteria for the ruling under those laws had not been met.

Lawyers for the Brumbies argued the only relief sought by Mr Jones had been damages for breach of contract and the injunction was not warranted on the grounds upon which it was sought.

Jones' lawyer is fighting the challenge to the temporary injunction, saying the Brumbies lawyers have taken too narrow a view of the legislation.

Justice Refshauge indicated that he would hand down his decision in "a couple of days".

Image: Michael Jones (courtesy of LinkedIn).

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