Commonwealth of Australia v Human Rights & Equal Opportunity Commission [1998] FCA 704

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA RACE DISCRIMINATION - Proceedings - Rights of audience - Extent of power to limit representation - Whether Commissioner had power to order that party be represented by solicitor but not counsel. STATUTORY INTERPRETATION- Whether "solicitor or counsel" to be read disjunctively or as describing a class by reference to its component parts.

Racial Discrimination Act, 1975, ss 25G, Q, V Sex Discrimination Act 1984, s 65 Modistach-Barnett v Southwell, HREOC, unreported, 29 April 1996 (Disapproved) O'Toole v Scott [1965] AC 939 (Referred to) Re G J Mannix Ltd [1984] 1 NZLR 309 (Referred to) Molnar Engineering Pty Ltd v The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd (1984) 1 FCR 455 (Referred to) O'Toole v Scott, Australian Securities Commission v Bell (1991) 32 FCR 517 at 528-529 (Referred to) R v Kelly; Ex parte Commonwealth Public Service Clerical Association (1955) 92 CLR 10 (Referred to) Waters v Public Transport Corporation (1991) 173 CLR 349 (Referred to) COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Applicant) v HUMAN RIGHTS EQUAL OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION (First Respondent), ROLF KUMMLE (Second Respondent) AG33 of 1998 FINN J CANBERRA 16 JUNE 1998

IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY DISTRICT REGISTRY AG33 of 1998

BETWEEN: COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

Applicant

AND: HUMAN RIGHTS & EQUAL OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION

First Respondent

ROLF KUMMLE

Second Respondent

JUDGE: FINN J

DATE OF ORDER: 16 JUNE 1998

WHERE MADE: CANBERRA

THE COURT ORDERS THAT: The application be allowed. Note: Settlement and entry of orders is dealt with in Order 36 of the Federal Court Rules.

IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY DISTRICT REGISTRY AG33 of 1998

BETWEEN: COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA