Barton, E.A. v. Croner Trading Pty Ltd [1984] FCA 149
Federal Court of Australia
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ee "JUDGMENT Now sath Sthae. -
CATCHWORDS
Criminal law and procedure - Application to state special
ease - Contest as to finding of fact - Whether prosecutor should
have leave to re-open on hearing of application to state case -
Inference to be drawn from the circumstances - onus of proof.
EDWINA ALICE BARTON v. CRONER TRADING PTY. LIMITED
Beaumont, J.
7 June, 1984.
Sydney.
IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA
)
)
NEW SOUTH WALES DISTRICT REGISTRY )
)
GENERAL DIVISTON )
TRADE PRACTICES ACT 1974
Sections 79 and 53(a) and 53(c)
BETWEEN : EDWINA ALICE BARTON
Prosecutor
AND CRONER TRADING PTY. LIMITED
Defendant
CORAM
Beaumont, J.
DATED: 7 June 1984.
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT
This is the statement of a special case to the Full
Federal Court pursuant to s.25(6) of the Federal Court Act,
1976 made upon the application of both parties in a series
of prosecutions under s.79 of the Trade Practices Act, 1974.
The informations for the offences charge a number of contra-
ventions of s.53(a) and (c) of the Trade Practices Act said
to arise out of representations allegedly made by the
defendant in connection with the sale of certain toys. The
informations which are of immediate concern were laid on 1
Nos. G199 to G216 of 1983
2.
August 1983. The prosecution alleges that certain of the
contraventions occurred on 2 August 1982 when the goods in
question were displayed for sale at a retail store. A
question arises in this connection, and otherwise, whether
the prosecution was commenced within the one year time limit
provided by s.21 of the Crimes Act, 1914 (see, for example,
Thompson v. Riley McKay Pty. Ltd. (Ne. 3) (1980) 43 F.L.R.
293).
Although both parties joined in the application to
state a case to the Full Court, they were unable to agree on
one particular fact to be included in the special case,
namely, the date upon which a toy kangaroo was first
displayed and offered for sale at Woolworths Limited's Big W
store at Chullora.
The background facts to the prosecution appear from
the draft Special Case in the schedule hereto. in dispute
is the date upon which the toy kangaroo purchased by Mervyn
Reilly from Woolworths Limited's Big W store at Chullora was
first displayed and offered for sale (see draft Special
Case, para. 13). Evidence was led by the prosecutor in an
endeavour to establish that the date in question was Monday,
2 August 1982. The defendant, on the other hand, submitted
that there existed a reasonable doubt that this was the
date, submitting that it was possible that the kangaroo was
put on display on either Friday, 30 July or Saturday, 31
duly, 1982.
The evidence led by the prosecutor, prior to the
close of the case for the defence, was given by Michael John
Manfredotti, the Operations Manager of Woolworth's store at
the time. Mr. Manfredotti's affidavit, sworn 26 March 1984,
reads, so far as material, as follows:
"3. As Operations Manager, my duties included
making decisions about when certain lines
should first be put on display to the public
in the Chullora Big W store. I used the
'REMARKS /DISPLAY' column of the ADVI LINES
ADVICE form to record my instructions about
the date of first display.
4. I have looked at an ADVI LINES ADVICE,
'puff' as they are commonly known, headed
'BIG WW.C. 2/08/ ..., MEMO W 382/32, ISSUED
24/05/82'. A copy of that document is
annexed hereto and marked with the letter
'A'. I note that four particular toy lines -
plush fruggle in a jar, plush puggle ina
bag, plush koala comm. games and plush
matilda kangaroo - have been bracketed
together by means of a handwritten bracket in
the 'REMARKS/DISPLAY' column, next to which
the word 'MONDAY' has been written.
5. I recognise that handwriting notation in
the 'REMARKS/DISPLAY' column - that is, the -
bracket and the word 'MONDAY' - as being in
my handwriting. That notation constitutes an
instruction by me that the four toy lines
which I bracketed together are not to be put
on display to the public in the Chullora Big
W store until the Monday of the saie, which
in this case was Monday, 2 August 1982.
4.
6.- The said four toys were an 'XW' line
Which signifies a product not normally
carried by the store and as such limited
stock_is received.
7. On this occasion, I recall having regard
to the reasonable proposed selling price, the
extent and quality of advertising and the
limited quantity of the toys and decided
(sic) that to ensure stock being available
for the advertised date the goods were not to
be placed on display until the morning of 2
August 1982. .
8. The system at the store is that the
document and notation thereon are treated as
instructions to and acted upon by employees
known as the 'price and fill team'. TI have
no reason to doubt that my instruction was
carried out by staff in the Chulliora Big W
store at that time in accordance with the
usual practice."
The defendant objected to the admissibility of the
whole of this affidavit on the ground of its lack of
relevance. Although the affidavit provides primary evidence
of only part of the events now in question, for reasons
which appear later;, I am of the opinion that the affidavit
does tend to establish matters now in dispute and is thus
admissible. The objection made by the defendant goes to the
weight rather than the admissibility of the affidavit
evidence.
The document headed "ADVI LINES ADVICE", described
as "the butt', being annexure "A" to Mr. Manfredotti's
affidavit is, so far as material, as follows:
"ADVT LIVES ADVICE wT l 7 ate a Wate 02/084 a W382/31 en 2s/054
STD" GRP
ASP. 4 | GBPS [YL APs
pescriPrion nowe a - PRFX . _
DEPARTMENT <= - REMARKS/OISPLAY
eae SL] COVER meno "
Ss 20% OFF RANGE COVER GIRL-: x > :
. | yrrost foswerzcs omit Tr
DRwewe.
kw] 25663
i a PLUSH" SHAKE" with FANGS
#ee317 RECORDS 1. =
Se » sere 2
AS BASF "compact PK 3 cb
PRE Ee net
¥r
}
—
Mr. Manfredotti also gave oral evidence in chief
that there was a procedure in the store at the time that
"RW" lines of limited quality and good value were not to be
put on show until the advertised date because Woolworths
"buy these ... lines in to complement the range that we
carry within the store."
In cross-~examination, Mr. Manfredotti said that he
would have made the notation on the buff on either
Wednesday, 28 July 1982 or Thursday, 29 July 1982; and that
he would have given the document to the "price and fill"
team on Friday, 30 July 1982. He also said that, although
he had no specific recollection, his notation on the buff
suggested to him that he would have explained to the leader
of the "price and fill" team that the lines in question were
not to be tied up until Monday, 2 August 1982. Mr.
Manfredotti also said that he had no recoliection of seeing
the lines in question being placed on display. The
prosecutor called no further evidence and closed her case.
Although the defendant cross-examined Mr.
Manfredotti, it called no evidence on this aspect of the
proceeding. The parties then addressed on the findings of
fact which should be made in the present context. It was
submitted on behalf of the defendant, inter alia, that, in
7.
the absence of evidence from the leader of the "price and
fill" team, it would not be proper to infer that Mr.
Manfredotti's instructions were in fact carried out. The
prosecutor then sought leave to re-open her case and to call
evidence from Karan Marie McKinnon, the leader of the "price
and fi11" team at the store in July and August 1983.
The defendant opposed the application to re-open,
mainly on the ground that, since this was a criminal
prosecution, it would be wrong in principle to permit the
prosecution to re-open in the absence of any exceptional
circumstance and none existed here (see Shaw v. R. (1952) 85
C.L.R. 365; Lawrence v. R. (1981) 38 A.L.R. 1 per Gibbs,
C.J. at p.3).
Whilst it is common ground that I have 'a discretion
in the matter, I do not think that the prosecutor has
advanced any ground which is sufficient to justify the grant
of leave to re-open, given the defendant's opposition to
that course (cf. Reakes v. Reakes (1928) 45 W.N. (N.S.W.)
123 at p.124). The prosecutor must be taken to have been at
all times aware that the absence of at least one member of
the "price and fill" team from the witness box would
inevitably lead to the defendant's commenting upon that
absence (see Jones v. Dunkel (1959) 101 C.L.R. 298 at
p-321). Given knowledge or at least constructive knowledge
that the defendant was likely to adopt that course, no
8.
attempt was made on behalf of the prosecutor to explain her
failure to call at least one member of the "price and fill"
team. In the absence of any such explanation, I do not
think that it would be fair to the defendant to permit the
prosecutor to re-open her case after submissions had been
made on behalf of the parties as to the finding of fact to
be made. I refuse the application for leave to re-open.
I return to the evidence of Mr. Manfredotti. That
evidence is specifically in point up to the stage at which
Mr. Manfredotti placed his notation upon the buff.
Thereafter, the evidence relied upon by the prosecutor is
circumstantial in that she asks the court to draw an
inference that Mr. Manfredotti's instruction was in fact
carried out. In this connection, it is true that an
important distinction must be drawn between the drawing of
inference in a criminal as distinct from a civil case. The
general position was explained in Luxton v. Vines (1953) 85
C.L.R. 352 at p.358 in citing from a passage in Bradshaw v.
McEwans Pty. Ltd. ((1951) unreported) as follows:
"Qf course as far as logical consistency goes
many hypotheses may be put which the evidence
does not exclude positively. But this isa
civil and not a criminal case. We are
concerned with probabilities, not with
possibilities. The difference between the
criminal standard of proof in its application
to circumstantial evidence and the civil is
that in the former the facts must be such as
to exclude reasonable hypotheses consistent
with innocence, while in the latter you need
only circumstances raising a more probable
inference in favour of what is alleged. ...'"
Can it be said, then, that the facts established by
Mr. Manfredotti''s evidence are "such as to exclude
reasonable hypotheses consistent with innocence" on this
aspect of the prosecution?
In this connection, the defendant relies upon an
answer given by Mr. Manfredotti in cross-examination to the
effect that the earliest time the toy could have been put on
display was the morning of Friday, 30 July 1982. But that
answer must be understood in its context, which is as
follows (I have emphasised the answer):
"MR. GATLBRAITH: Mr. Manfredotti, do you know
when the kangaroo and koala referred to in
annexure A to your affidavit came into store
at Woolworths, Chullora?---I would not know
the exact date but it would have been two or
three weeks prior to the advertisement being
on sale.
When did you make the notation of the bracket
joined together for XW lines?---Either the
Wednesday or the Thursday prior to 2 August.
What did you do with the document after you
made that notation on it?---That particular
document is held within a folder which then I
gave to the price and fiil team on the Friday
preceding the advertised date so that they
could tie up the other lines which were in
that folder.
10.
I think in your affidavit you say that the
policy or procedure or whatever it was that
existed was to the effect that the goods were
not to be displayed prior to the Friday
morning before the Monday of the sale
commencing?---That is correct. That would be
the earliest time. If I believed or the
sales manager believed that a particular XW
Line could be put on show, it would be the
earliest time it could go on show.
ore
But so far as you were aware, it was
permissible with an XW line for it to be put
on display any time after the preceding
Friday morning - it could be put on
display?---The earliest time it could be put
on display would be the Friday morning.
The price and fill team would have been aware
of that as well?---Yes, they would have been.
So they would have been handed this document,
annexure A to your affidavit, with thexit
documents referred to and they would have
realised that it would have been permissible
for.them to have put those items on display
at any time after the Friday
morning?---Except that I had written Monday
which meant that I did not want this
particular line to be put: on show until the
Monday morning. .
MR. GALBRAITH: Did you discuss the notation
you had put on this sheet with anyone in the
price and fill team after you put the
endorsement on the document?---Yes, with the
price and fill leader.
What did you say?---I normally say - after I
have had a look at the sheets I normally then
get the price and fill leader and discuss
with her in what order I wish her to start,
and then give her the sheets and explain to
her that those particular lines are not to be
tied up until Monday, even giving her a
reason so that she understands why.
What did you say to the price and fill
leader on this occasion?---Not knowing
exactly what was said but I would have
ll.
probably said to her that those particular
lines, I do not want tied up until Monday
because I feel that they are good value and
price and the quantity is limited, so those
particular lines would not be tied up until
the Monday."
In my opinion;- when this evidence is read asa
whole, it establishes beyond any reasonable doubt that the
"price and fill" team could take no step towards placing the
subject item on display until Mr. Manfredotti gave the team
the folder which included the buff; that his reference to
"Monday" on the buff meant that he would have explained to
the leader of the team that the subject item was not to be
displayed until Monday 2 August 1982; and that the answer I
have emphasised now relied upon by the defendant was
immediately qualified by Mr. Manfredotti as no more than a
generalisation which was not applicable in the events which
happened here, having regard to the specific notation on the
buff which excluded the subject item from display before 2
August 1982. In those circumstances, in my opinion, there
is no reasonable foundation for the suggestion or hypothesis
advanced by the defendant that the "price and fill" team may
have acted to place the items on display without seeking the
instructions of Mr. Manfredotti on the matter: the evidence
is consistent only with those instructions having been given
in the terms noted on the buff and it could not reasonably
be suggested that the team could act to place on display any
XW item without the information contained in the folder,
12.
including the information on the buff: no alternative source
of such essential information could reasonably be suggested.
Further, in my opinion, no reasonable hypothesis could be
advanced to ground a suggestion that it was possible that
Mr. Manf redotti's instructions were departed from: no
reason or motive could reasonably be argued to exist to
justify any wilful departure; and given the need to resort
to the buff for the essential information contained in it,
it could not reasonably be suggested, in my view, that the
"price and fill" team might have overlooked Mr.
Manfredotti's prominent notation "Monday" beside the display
instructions.
The defendant then points to the failure of the
prosecutor to call any member of the "price and fili" team.
But, as Jones v. Dunkel, supra, decides, the failure to call
that evidence does no more than to "lead rationally to the
inference that (the) evidence would not help (the
prosecutor's) case" (per Windeyer, J. at p.321). In other
words, the failure to call that evidence does not
necessarily or at all involve the rejection of Mr.
Manfredotti's evidence: the evidence of members of the
"price and fill" team almost two years after the event may
reasonably be expected to have done no more than reveal the
lack of any specific recollection of the fact now in issue.
In the absence of any particular reason to recall the
13.
matter, and none has been suggested, the ordinary course of
human affairs would lead one to expect that no member of the
"price and fill" team would have any reason to remember the
events in question. Thus, whilst such evidence would not
advance the prosecution case, it would in no way detract
from Mr. Manfredotti's evidence.
The situation then is that the prosecution case on
the point is based largely on Mr. Manfredotti's note of his
instruction. That note was a contemporary one; it was
genuine; it is not, and could not be, suggested that it is
not reliable evidence; and there is no material upon which
any reasonable suggestion could he founded that the
instruction was not carried into effect. There is, thus, in
my opinion, no room for any reasonable hypothesis consistent
with the innocence of the defendant on this aspect of the
case. I am satisfied, beyond reasonable doubt, that the toy
kangaroo was not displayed for sale before Monday, 2 August
1982. I so find for the purpose of the special case.
Subject to hearing the further submissions, if any,
of the parties on any other matters which may arise, the
case to be stated to the Full Court will be in the form of
the draft in the schedule hereto.
13.
THE SCHEDULE
DRAFT SPECIAL CASE
FACTS: .
1. In 1981 and 1982 and at ail material times the
defendant ("Croner") was a company incorporated according to
the laws of the State of Victoria and carried on business
as, among other things, an importer and distributor of toys.
2. In or about April 1981 Croner established a toy
manufacturing operation in New South Wales. That operation
was known as Playmate Toys (which name was registered by
Croner pursuant to the provisions of the Business Names Act,
1962). Among other things, Playmate Toys marketed its
products under the name "Joy Toys".
3. During the course of 1981 Croner conducted
negotiations with Advance Australia Marketing with a view to
obtaining, among other things, non-exclusive
product/corporate licensing in respect of soft toys sold
under the name Joy Toys.
ee ee ——y aoe ee — — - —~
14.
a
4, On an application made by Croner to Advance
Australia Marketing and after correspondence, Croner was
advised by letter from Advance Australia dated 19 October
1981 that Croner's application for non-exclusive
products/corporate licensing in respect of soft toys
manufactured by Playmate Toys and sold under the name Joy
Toys was approved. A document accompanying that letter
showed certain conditions which Advance Australia imposed on
its approval including the statement:
"Usages relates (sic) to Australian made products
only."
5. On or about 23 October 1981 Advance Australia
Marketing forwarded to Croner an invoice in respect of
royalties for non-exclusive product licensing. Among other
things, that invoice contained the following:
"Period 1.10.81 to 30.9.82."
6. In or about March, 1982 the National Sales Director
of Croner had discussions with a representative of one of
that company's major customers, Woolworths Limited, in
connection with the possible supply by Croner to Woolworths
of plush toys to be supplied as part of 'a promotion which
that company was having in July 1982. In particular, such
toys were to include a koala and a kangaroo. The kangaroo
15.
was to be named "Matilda" after a kangaroo of the same name
which by that time had become the mascot of the XII
Commonwealth Games. It was also intended that the koala
should form some kind of Commonwealth Games souvenir as
well.
7. As aresult of the discussions referred to in 6
above the following orders were placed with Croner by
Wooiworths:
(a) Order 88891470 on 4 May 1982 in respect of 3,576
"plush Matilda Kangaroos" to be supplied no earlier
than 31 May 1982 and no later than 4 June 1982
with 1,800 to be delivered into Woolworths'
warehouse Sydney, 1,224 in Brisbane, 396 in
Fremantle, 96 in Adelaide and 360 in Melbourne;
(b) Order 88887468 dated 7 May 1982 in respect of 3588
"plush Koala Comm Games" to be delivered no earlier
than 31 May 1982 and no later than 4 June 1982 with
1,800 to be delivered into Woolworths' warehouse in
Sydney, 1,224 in Brisbane, 96 in Fremantle, 108 in
Adelaide and 360 in Melbourne;
(c) Order 88887471 dated 12 May 1982 in respect of
1,836 "plush Matilda Kangaroo" to be delivered no
earlier than 13 June 1982 and no later than 18 June
(d)
8.
16.
1982 with 528 to be delivered into Woolworths'
warehouse in Sydney, 780 in Brisbane, 144 in
Fremantle, 144 in Adelaide and 240 in Melbourne;
and
Order 88887469 dated 12 May 1982 in respect of
1,632 "plus Koala Comm Games" to be delivered no
earlier than 13 June 1982 and no later than 18 June
1982 with 540 to be delivered into Woolworths'
warehouse in Sydney, 624 in Brisbane, 132 in
Fremantle, 144 in Adelaide, 192 in Melbourne.
Croner issued to Woolworths the following invoices
in respect of the supply by Croner to Woolworths of the
following:
ORDER CITY UANTITY ITEM
88887468 Melbourne 360 Koala
88887468 Adelaide 108 Koala
88887468 Fremantle 96 Koala
88887468 Brisbane 1224 Koala
88887468 Sydney 1800 Koala
88887469 Brisbane 612 Koala
88887469 Sydney 540 Koala
88891470 Melbourne 360 Kangaroo
88891470 Sydney 1800 Kangaroo
88891470 Brisbane 1224 Kangaroo
88887471 Brisbane 780 Kangaroo
88887469 Adelaide 144 , Koala
88891470 Adelaide 96 Kangaroo
88887469 Melbourne 192 Koala
88887471 Adelaide 144 Kangaroo
88887471 Melbourne 240 Kangaroo
88887469 Fremantle 132 Koala
88891470 Fremantle 96 Kangaroo
88887471 Fremantle 144 Kangaroo
88887497 Sydney 528 Kangaroo
17.
The total goods delivered by Croner to Woolworths
Stores were 5411 kangaroos and 5205 koalas.
9. All kangaroos supplied by Croner pursuant to the
orders referred to in 7 above were received by Woolworths
warehouses on 16, 17, 18, 21, 30 June 1982 and 1 July, 1982.
All koalas supplied by Croner pursuant to the orders
referred to in 7 above were received by Woolworths
warehouses on 4, 7, 8, 15, 16, 17 and 21 June 1982.
Woolworths stores advertised a sale of the toys so supplied
to commence on 12 July 1982.
10. In each case in respect of each koala supplied by
Croner to Woolworths there was fixed to such koala the
following:
(a) A label reading "made in Australia";
(b) A label reading "Advance Australia" and bearing a
representation of the flag of the Commonwealth,
being an emblem of Advance Australia;
(c) A label reading "this item exceeds all Australian
Safety Regulations including the Inflammability
Act"; and
(d)
11.
— ly a a
18.
A T-shirt upon which appeared the legend "XII
Commonwealth Games Brisbane 1982".
In respect of each kangaroo supplied by Croner to
Woolworths there was affixed to such kangaroo the following:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
12(a)
A label reading "made in Australia";
A label reading "Advance Australia" and bearing a
representation of the flag of the Commonwealth,
being an emblem of Advance Australia;
A label reading "this item exceeds all Australian
Safety Reguiations including the Inflammability
Act"; and
Coloured ribbon to which was attached a XII
Commonwealth Games medal.
On Monday, 2 August 1982, Pamela Elizabeth Ross of
10 Lomar Court, Frankston, Victoria, purchased from
Woolworths (Victoria) Limited's Big W store at
Frankston, Victoria, one of the toy koalas which
had been supplied to Woolworths by Croner pursuant
to one or other of the orders referred to in 7
above.
(b)
(c)
13(¢a)
(b)
(c)
14(a)
19.
This toy koala had not been displayed and offered
for sale by Woolworths' Frankston Big W store prior
to Friday, 30 July 1982.
This is the toy koala referred to in the summonses
Nos. Gi99, G200 and G202 of 1983.
On 30 August 1982, Mervyn Reilly of 55 Waterview
Street, Mona Vale, purchased from Woolworths
Limited's Big W store at Chullora, New South Wales,
one of the toy kangaroos which had been supplied by
Croner to Woolworths pursuant to one or other of
the orders referred to in 7 above.
This toy kangaroo had not been displayed and
offered for sale by Woolworths' Chullora Big W
store prior to 2 August 1982.
This is the toy kangaroo referred to in the
summonses Nos. G201, G203 and G204 of 1983.
On 16 September 1982, Stephen James Carbery, an
employee of the Trade Practices Commission,
inspected at Woolworths Limited's Variety store at
(b)
(c)
15(a)
(b)
(c)
20.
Campsie, New South Wales, a number of toy koalas
which had been supplied to Woolworths by Croner
pursuant to one or other of the orders referred to
in 7 above.
These toy koalas had not been displayed and offered
for sale by Woolworths Campsie Variety store prior
to 5 July 1982.
Included among these toy koalas were those referred
to in the summonses Nos. G211, G212 and G2i3.
On 16 September 1982, the said Stephen James
Carbery inspected at Woolworths Limited's Family
Centre store at Bankstown Square, Bankstown, New
South Wales, a number of toy koalas which had been
supplied to Woolworths by Croner pursuant to one or
other of the orders referred to in 7 above.
These toy koalas had not been displayed and offered
for sale by Woolworths' Bankstown Square Family
Centre store prior to 28 June 1982.
Included among these toy koalas were those referred
to in the summonses Nos. G205, 'G206 and G210 of
1983.
16{a)
(b)
(c)
17(a)
(b)
2l.
On 17 September 1982, the said Stephen James
Carbery inspected at Woolworths Limited's Variety
store at Chatswood, New South Wales, a number of
toy kangaroos which had been supplied to Woolworths
Limited by Croner pursuant to one or other of the
orders referred to in 7 above.
These toy kangaroos had not been displayed or
offered for sale by Woolworths' Chatswood Variety
store prior to 12 July 1982.
Included among these toy kangaroos were those
referred to in the summonses Nos. G214, G215 and
G216 of 1983.
On 17 September 1982, the said Stephen James
Carbery purchased from Woolworths Limited's Variety
store at Chatswood, New South Wales, one of the toy
koalas which had been supplied to Woolworths by
Croner pursuant to one or other of the orders
referred to in 7 above.
This toy koalas had not been displayed or offered
for sale by Woolworths Chatswood Variety store
prior to 12 July 1982.
22.
{c} This is the toy koala referred to in the summonses
Nos. G207, G208 and G209 of 1983.
18. After dispatching the toys to Woolworths as set
forth in paragraph 9, Croner took no part at all in
handling, displaying or selling the toys. Ross, Reilly and
Carbery dealt only with employees of Woolworths: Croner had
no servant or agent or other representative at any of the
stores at which Ross, Reilly and Carbery purchased toys.
19. Each of the toy koalas and kangaroos supplied by
Croner to Woolworths Limited pursuant to the orders referred
to in 7 above were made in the Republic of Korea and
imported into Australia by Croner.
20. There is not in force in the Commonwealth of
Australia nor was there in force in 1981 and/or 1982 and at
any material time any statute known as Inflammability Act
nor any State or Commonwealth legislation or regulation
dealing with the flammability of such toys.
21. Pursuant to the administrative arrangements ordered
by His Excellency the Governor-General and notified in
Commonwealth Government Gazette No. S46 dated 11 March 1983,
23.
Part V of the Trade Practices Act is an enactment
administered by the Minister of State for Home Affairs and
Environment. The balance of the Act (including Part VI
which includes s.79) is administered by the
Attorney-General.
22. Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. S47 of Ill
March 1983 notified the appointment of Gareth John Evans to
hold the office of Attorney-General and Barry Cohen to hold
the office of Minister of State for Home Affairs and
Environment.
23. On 10 April 1983 Senator Evans signed a document
published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. $129
of 9 April 1984 in the following terms:
"I, Gareth John Evans, Attorney-General of
Australia, hereby authorise the Minister of
State for Home Affairs and Environment to
give consent for the purpose of paragraph
163(4)(b) of the Trade Practices Act, 1974 to
the institution of proceedings in respect of
offences against Part Vo oof the Trade
Practices Act, 1974."
24. On 26 July 1983, Mr. Cohen, as Minister of State
for Home Affairs and. Environment, signed a consent in
relation to the subject prosecutions of Croner Trading Pty.
Limited.
(1)
(2)
(3)
24.
QUESTIONS
Upon the facts stated> herein, has the
Attorney-General validly authorised Mr. Barry Cohen
to sign the consent to institute these proceedings
under 5.163(4)(b) of the Trade Practices Act, 1974?
Did the defendant commit the offences charged in
the informations at the times and places charged
therein?
Were the prosecutions for the offences or any of
them barred at the date of the informations by s.21
of the Crimes Act, 1914?
beeniyu. "sand ''a 23 precc"ing
| ~" ere aiue copy of the '--t2..8 for
. 77 "rein of The fic. ..ublo
I. duc 4 Beaumont. Simon, Crogan .
__ Associate
Dafgd = 7 Jone, 198
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