Toben v Jones [2003] FCAFC 137

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Toben v Jones [2003] FCAFC 137

HUMAN RIGHTS AND DISCRIMINATION LAW – RACIAL DISCRIMINATION – appeal from declaratory orders made to enforce determination of Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission that material published by the respondent racially vilified Jewish people – whether the primary judge erred in concluding that the material was reasonably likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate Jews in Australia and that whether the publication was done 'because of' the race or ethnic origin of a group of people – the meaning of 'because of' – whether publication done reasonably and in good faith for any genuine academic or other genuine purpose in the public interest. CONSTITUTIONAL LAW – Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) Part 2A whether constitutionally valid – external affairs power, s51(xxix) of the Constitution – implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination – whether the Act is reasonably appropriate and adapted to implementing a treaty to which Australia is a party. WORDS AND PHRASES – 'because of'. Commonwealth Constitution s 51(xxix) Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth), ss 18B, 18C, 18D Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth), s 15A Evidence Act 1995 (Cth), ss 97, 98, 100 Racial Hatred Act 1995 (Cth) Décor Corporation Pty Ltd v Dart Industries Inc (1991) 33 FCR 397 referred to Koowarta v Bjelke-Petersen (1981) 153 CLR 168 referred to Victoria v The Commonwealth (1996) 187 CLR 416 applied Creek v Cairns Post Pty Ltd (2001) 112 FCR 352 referred to and discussed Jones v Scully [2002] FCA 1080 referred to and discussed McGlade v Lightfoot [2002] FCA 1457 referred to Vines v Djordjavitch (1955) 91 CLR 512 referred to Hagan v Trustees of the Toowoomba Sports Ground Trust (2001) 105 FCR 56 referred to and discussed Hagan v Trustees of the Toowoomba Sports Ground Trust [2000] FCA 1615 referred to and discussed Australian Iron and Steel Pty Ltd v Banovic (1989) 168 CLR 165 referred to Waters v Public Transport Corporation (1991) 173 CLR 349 referred to Hall v Nominal Defendant (1966) 117 CLR 423 applied Wickstead v Browne (1990) 30 NSWLR 1 applied Dart v Norwich Union Life Australia Ltd [2002] FCA 168 applied Maher v Commonwealth Banking Corporation [2002] FCAFC 104 applied Silk Bros Pty Ltd v State Electricity Commission of Victoria (1943) 67 CLR 1 applied Hornsby Building Information Centre Pty Ltd v Sydney Building Information Centre Ltd (1978) 140 CLR 216 applied Parkdale Custom Built Furniture Pty Ltd v Puxu Pty Ltd (1982) 149 CLR 191 applied Concrete Constructions (NSW) Pty Ltd v Nelson (1990) 169 CLR 594 applied Oyston v Blaker [1996] 1 WLR 1326 referred to CIC Insurance Ltd v Bankstown Football Club Ltd (1997) 187 CLR 384 applied Inglis v Robertson [1898] AC 616 applied Airlines of NSW Pty Ltd v New South Wales [No 2] (1965) 113 CLR 54 applied The Commonwealth v Tasmania (1983) 158 CLR 1 applied Richardson v Forestry Commission (1988) 164 CLR 261 applied Lange v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1997) 189 CLR 520 referred to Virginia v Black, U.S Supreme Court, 7 April 2003 referred to Kapoor v Monash University (2001) 4 VR 483 referred to University of Ballarat v Bridges [1995] 2 VR 418 referred to Schwelb "The International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination" (1966) 15 International and Comparative Law Quarterly 996 Lerner The U.N. Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (Sijthoff & Noordhoff 1980 2nd Ed) Bennion Statutory Interpretation (3rd Ed) Forbes Similar Fact Evidence ch 10 Heydon Cross on Evidence (6th Ed) pp 601-604 Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission: the National Enquiry into Racist Violence 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody 1991 Australian Law Reform Commission: Multiculturalism and the Law 1992 McNamara Regulating Racism: Racial Vilification Laws in Australia FREDRICK TOBEN v JEREMY JONES N 1049 of 2002 CARR, KIEFEL & ALLSOP JJ 27 JUNE 2003 SYDNEY