Commonwealth of Australia v Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union [2000] FCA 453

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Commonwealth of Australia v Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union [2000] FCA 453 EVIDENCE – public interest immunity – letter from Minister to Prime Minister seeking to raise a matter in Cabinet – whether letter reveals the deliberations of Cabinet – whether letter a Cabinet submission – whether letter a Cabinet document APPEAL – standing to appeal from an interlocutory order requiring production of a document in respect of which public interest immunity privilege is claimed by a non-party to the substantive proceeding – Federal Court Act s 24 Federal Court Act 1977 (Cth) s 24(1) Workplace Relations Act 1996 (Cth) s 170NC Brouwer v Titan Corporation Ltd (1997) 73 FCR considered Re Markham; Markham v Markham (1880) 16 Ch D 1 applied Re Securities Insurance Co [1894] 2 Ch 410 applied Senior v Holdsworth; Ex parte Independent Television News Ltd [1976] QB 23 applied Witness v Marsden [2000] NSWCA 52 distinguished Sen v The Queen (1991) 30 FCR 173 distinguished Shields v Official Receiver in Bankruptcy (1996) 66 FCR 171 distinguished Décor Corporation Pty Limited v Dart Industries Inc (1991) 33 FCR 397 applied Sankey v Whitlam (1978) 142 CLR 1 applied Alister v The Queen (1984) 154 CLR 404 applied New South Wales v Ryan (1998) 101 LGERA 246 applied Attorney-General v Hamilton [1993] 2 IR 250 applied Egan v Chadwick (1999) 46 NSWLR 563 applied New South Wales v Ryan (1998) 101 LGERA 246 applied Commonwealth v Northern Land Council (1993) 176 CLR 604 applied Hooker Corporation Ltd v Darling Harbour Authority (New South Wales Supreme Court, 7 May 1997, unreported) referred to Hearne The Government of England 2nd ed. 1986 at p.218 Cabinet Handbook 4th ed. 1994 THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA v CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION AND JONATHAN HAMBERGER (IN HIS CAPACITY AS THE EMPLOYMENT ADVOCATE) V 605 of 1999 BLACK CJ, TAMBERLIN & SUNDBERG JJ MELBOURNE 12 APRIL 2000