Granite Arms Pty Ltd v Chief Executive Officer of Customs [2002] FCA 1048

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Granite Arms Pty Ltd v Chief Executive Officer of Customs [2002] FCA 1048

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – judicial review – strike-out application – distinction between seizure and decision to seize – proceedings in Victorian Magistrates Court initiated before proceedings in Federal Court – whether Federal Court proceedings are an abuse of process – applicability of s 10 Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 (Cth) – applicability of O 20 r 2(1) Federal Court Rules – whether firearms are "special forfeited goods" – jurisdiction of Federal Court to stay proceedings where there are other proceedings between the same parties for the same cause of action in a different court – decisions reviewable by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal WORDS & PHRASES – "special forfeited goods" – "seizure" – "decision to seize"

Federal Court Rules, O 20 r 2(1) Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 (Cth), ss 10, 6(1), 3(1) Customs Act 1901 (Cth), ss 205D(2)(e), 229(1)(b), 183UA(1), 273GA Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 (Cth), s 4F(1); Schedule 6, Part 2, Column 3; Schedule 6, Part 3; Schedule 6, Part 1, cl 4.1 Second Life Décor Pty Ltd v Co v Comptroller-General of Customs (1994) 53 FCR 78, distinguished Fencott v Muller (1983) 152 CLR 570, applied Stack v Coast Securities [No. 9] Pty Ltd (1983) 154 CLR 261, applied Sentry Corp v Peat Marwick Mitchell (1990) 24 FCR 463, followed Convery v Ziino (1985) 70 ALR 383, cited Oceanic Sun Line Shipping Co Inc v Fay (1988) 165 CLR 197, cited GRANITE ARMS PTY LTD (ACN 006 551 748) and OMEO WAY PTY LTD (ACN 050 415 355) v THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF CUSTOMS and AUSTRALIAN CUSTOMS SERVICE No Q 47 of 2002 SPENDER J BRISBANE 22 AUGUST 2002

IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

QUEENSLAND DISTRICT REGISTRY Q 47 OF 2002