Lee v Commonwealth of Australia [2014] FCAFC 174

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Lee v Commonwealth of Australia [2014] FCAFC 174 Citation: Lee v Commonwealth of Australia [2014] FCAFC 174

Appeal from: Lee v Commonwealth of Australia [2014] FCA 432

Parties: DANIEL LEE and GRAEME PETER JAMES GROPLER v COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA and MURRAY-DARLING BASIN AUTHORITY

File number: VID 274 of 2014

Judges: MIDDLETON, BARKER AND GRIFFITHS JJ

Date of judgment: 18 December 2014

Catchwords: CONSTITUTIONAL LAW – application for leave to appeal against summary dismissal of claim pursuant to s 31A Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) – challenge to validity of provisions of Water Act 2007 (Cth) and claim for damages as a result of impairment by abridgment or acquisition of water entitlements and allocations – proper approach to interpretation of ss 99 and 100 Constitution in light of Morgan v Commonwealth (1947) 74 CLR 421 and subsequent decisions – whether primary judge erred in finding that impugned provisions of Water Act 2007 (Cth) could not be characterised as a law relating to trade or commerce under s 51(i) Constitution – whether primary judge erred in finding that claim under s 92 Constitution had no reasonable prospects of success – whether primary judge erred in finding that appellants had no reasonable prospect of prosecuting claim for acquisition of property otherwise than on just terms under s 254 Water Act 2007 (Cth) and s 51(xxxi) Constitution – whether primary judge should have found that claim under s 100 Constitution did not involve a relevant "matter"

Legislation: Commonwealth Constitution s 51(i), s 51(xxix), s 51(xxxi), s 92, s 98, s 99, s 100, s 101, s 102 Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) s 15A Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) s 31A Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 (Cth) Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) s 39B(1A)(b), s 44, s 78B Water Act 2007 (Cth) Pt 1, Pt 2, Pt 2A, Pt 6, Pt 8, Pt 9, Pt 10, Pt 10A, Pt 11, Pt 11A, Pt 12, s 3(d)(i), s 4, s 11, s 18A, s 19(2), s 20(e), s 22(1) (items 2, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12), s 22(3), s 22(3)(b), s 22(3)(c), s 22(3)(g), s 23, s 24, s 25(1)(a), s 25(1)(b), s 26, s 34, s 35, s 35(1), s 36(3), s 37(3), s 39, s 41, s 60(3), s 61(3), s 63(1), s 63(6), s 68, s 69, s 73(14)(d)(iv), s 104, s 105(1), s 105(2), s 105(3), s 105(4), s 106, s 140, s 144, s 146, s 163, s 164, s 165(1)(b), s 165(1)(c), s 165(3), s 166(1), s 241, s 241(1)(b), s 242, s 242(1), s 242(3), s 243(1), s 244(1), s 245(2), s 254, Sch 1A, Sch 3 (cl 3, cl 4), Sch 4 Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) R 16.21 Water Amendment Regulation (No 1) 2012 (Cth) Water Amendment Regulation (No 2) 2012 (Cth) Water Act 1989 (Vic) Water Management Act 2000 (NSW) s 71Z