North Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service Inc v Bradley [2001] FCA 1728 (includes summary)

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

North Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service Inc v Bradley [2001] FCA 1728

COURTS AND JUDGES – judicial review – appointment of Chief Magistrate of Northern Territory – remuneration and allowances fixed by Special Determination for two years – no provision for further remuneration and allowances – whether appointment invalid as failing to secure judicial independence. ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – judicial review – application by North Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service Inc for declaration that appointment of Chief Magistrate of Northern Territory invalid – standing of applicant – whether its interest in subject matter of litigation greater than that of general public – whether "special interest" – whether incorporated body takes interest of individual members – whether allegations of improper or extraneous purpose justiciable –whether such purpose must subsist at time of making of impugned decision. STATUTES – legislation conferring unfettered power upon Administrator to fix remuneration and allowances for magistrates – whether section should be read down to ensure that remuneration and allowances cannot be reduced save in specified circumstances – whether Act manifests intention on part of legislature to secure judicial independence – Magistrates Act 1977 (NT). CONSTITUTIONAL LAW – judicial power of the Commonwealth – whether Ch III of Constitution applicable to Territory courts – whether Territory courts exercise federal jurisdiction – whether implication in Ch III and/or in Constitution that Territory courts be free from executive or legislative interference – whether implication extends to tenure and remuneration of Territory magistrates – scope of s 122 of Constitution – application of principles in Kable v The Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) to Territory courts. Magistrates Act 1977 (NT) ss 4, 4(3), 6, 7, 7(1) and 10 Jurisdiction of Courts (Cross-Vesting) Act 1987 (NT) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission Act 1986 (Cth) ss 7(1) and 10(1) The Constitution ss 51(xxxix), 71, 72, 72(iii), 73, 73(ii), 77(iii), 80, 106, 111, 122 and Ch III Judiciary Act 1908 (Cth) ss 39(2), 68 and 68(2) Northern Territory (Self Government) Act 1978 (NT) Stipendiary Magistrates Act 1957 (WA) s 7 Magistrates Court Act 1987 (Tas) s 10 Association Incorporation Ordinance 1963 (NT) Constitution Act 1902 (NSW) ss 53, 54 and 55 Constitution Act 1975 (Vic) ss 77 and 85 Northern Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service Incorporated v Bradley and Northern Territory of Australia (2000) 10 NTLR 103 at 117 and 119 considered Boyce v Paddington Borough Council [1903] 1 Ch 109 at 114 referred to Australian Conservation Foundation v The Commonwealth (1980) 146 CLR 493 at 530-531, 541, 547 and 548 applied Onus v Alcoa of Australia Ltd (1981) 149 CLR 27 at 35-36, 41-42 and 74 applied Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association v Minister for Industrial Affairs (SA) (1995) 183 CLR 552 applied Bateman's Bay Local Aboriginal Council v The Aboriginal Community Benefit Fund Pty Ltd (1998) 194 CLR 247 at 267 applied British Medical Association v The Commonwealth (1949) 79 CLR 201 at 257 referred to Croome v Tasmania (1997) 191 CLR 119 at 126-127 and 137-138referred to Truth About Motorways Pty Ltd v Macquarie Infrastructure Investment Management Ltd (2000) 200 CLR 591 referred to Transurban City Link Ltd v Allan (1999) 95 FCR 553 at 565applied Allan v Transurban City Link Ltd [2001] HCA 58 referred to Executive Council of Australian Jewry v Scully (1998) 79 FCR 537 referred to The Queen v Toohey; Ex parte Northern Land Council (1981) 151 CLR 170 at 186-187, 193, 202-204, 215, 217 220-222, 233, 261 and 283 applied South Australia v O'Shea (1987) 163 CLR 378 at 410-411 referred to Barton v The Queen (1980) 147 CLR 75 referred to Maxwell v The Queen (1996) 184 CLR 501 at 533-534 referred to Waters v Acting Administrator of the Northern Territory (1993) 46 FCR 462 at 479 referred to Council of Civil Service Unions v Minister for the Civil Service [1985] 1 AC 374 at 398, 407, 411-412 and 418 referred to Minister for Arts, Heritage and Environment v Peko-Wallsend Ltd (1987) 15 FCR 274 referred to Xenophon v South Australia (200) 78 SASR 251 at 253-254 and 263-265 referred to Attorney-General (NSW) v Quin (1990) 170 CLR 1 at 18, 33-34 and 35-36 considered Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 referred to Municipal Council of Sydney v Campbell [1925] AC 338 referred to Thompson v Randwick Corporation (1950) 81 CLR 87 referred to Arthur Yates & Co Pty Ltd v The Vegetable Seeds Committee (1945) 72 CLR 37 at 67-68, 75 and 83-84 referred to Kable v The Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) (1996) 189 CLR 51 at 65, 77-78, 87, 98, 101, 102, 103, 106-107, 109, 111, 115, 116-117, 118, 134, 136, 137, 139, 141, 142 and 143 applied Northern Territory v GPAO (1999) 196 CLR 553 at 576-577, 580-581, 590-591, 592-593, 597, 601, 603, 620 and 650-651 applied Kruger v The Commonwealth (1997) 190 CLR 1 at 43, 56, 82, 107, 108-109, 141-143, 162-176 and 165-166 applied The King v Bernasconi (1915) 19 CLR 629 at 635 and 637 considered Spratt v Hermes (1965) 114 CLR 226 at 242-243, 255-256, 257, 264, 265, 266, 278 and 280-281 applied Capital TV and Appliances Pty Ltd v Falconer (1971) 125 CLR 591 at 599, 600-602, 603-604, 606, 613-614, 616 and 626-628 applied Re Governor, Goulburn Correctional Centre; Ex parte Eastman (1999) 200 CLR 322 at 332, 336-341, 340, 348, 353 and 382applied R v Quinn; Ex Parte Consolidated Foods Corporation (1977) 138 CLR 1 at 11 referred to Harris v Caladine (1991) 172 CLR 84 at 135 referred to Grollo v Palmer (1995) 184 CLR 348 at 365, 376-377 and 392-394 referred to Wilson v Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs (1996) 189 CLR 1 at 16 referred to