BHP Billiton Iron Ore Pty Ltd v The National Competition Council [2006] FCA 1764

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

BHP Billiton Iron Ore Pty Ltd v The National Competition Council [2006] FCA 1764

TRADE PRACTICES – access to services – application for declaration recommendation of a service – whether rail track service is a 'service' within the meaning of s 44B of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) – whether the use of the rail track service would be the use of a production process – meaning of the expression 'use of a production process' – legislative purpose of the production process exclusion to the definition of service

STATUTORY INTERPRETATION – principles of statutory interpretation – importance of the context of the provision – role of dictionary meanings in task of statutory interpretation –application of previous judicial pronouncements – whether previous decision 'clearly wrong' or 'plainly wrong'

EVIDENCE – admissibility – expert evidence – economic evidence – relevance to task of statutory interpretation of Part IIIA of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) – whether purporting to interpret statute

WORDS AND PHRASES – 'production process'

Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) ss 44AA, 44B, 44F, 44G, 44H, 44S, 44V, 44W, 44X Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) s 15AA

Bank of Western Australia Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (1994) 55 FCR 233 cited Boral Besser Masonry Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (2003) 215 CLR 374 considered Cabell v Markham (1945) 148 F (2d) 737 cited Central Bayside General Practice Association Ltd v Commissioner of State Revenue (2006) 80 ALJR 1509 considered Collector of Customs v Agfa-Gevaert Ltd (1996) 186 CLR 389 considered Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd v National Competition Council (1999) 164 ALR 203 not followed/discussed Helvering v Gregory (1934) 69 F (2d) 809 cited Hematite Petroleum Pty Ltd v Victoria (1982) 151 CLR 599 distinguished House of Peace Pty Ltd v Bankstown City Council (2000) 48 NSWLR 498 considered Marr v Australian Telecommunications Corp (1991) 34 FCR 82 cited Mills v Meeking (1989) 169 CLR 214 considered Network Ten Pty Ltd v TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd (2004) 218 CLR 273 considered Newcastle City Council v GIO General Ltd (1997) 191 CLR 85 considered Nezovic v Minister for Immigration & Multicultural & Indigenous Affairs (No 2) (2003) 133 FCR 190 considered Pepsi Seven-Up Bottlers Perth Pty Limited v Commissioner of Taxation (1995) 62 FCR 289 cited R v Bradbourn [1985] Crim LR 682 considered Rail Access Corporation v New South Wales Minerals Council Ltd (1998) 87 FCR 517 considered Re Australian Union of Students (1997) 147 ALR 458 considered Re Michael; Ex parte Epic Energy (WA) Nominees Pty Ltd (2002) 25 WAR 511 considered Roy Morgan Research Centre Pty Ltd v Commissioner of State Revenue (Vic) (2001) 207 CLR 72 cited Royal Insurance Australia Ltd v Government Insurance Office (NSW) [1994] 1 VR 123 considered Sydney Airport Corporation Ltd v Australian Competition Tribunal [2006] FCAFC 146 applied Upperedge v Bailey (1994) 13 ACSR 541 cited Visa International Service Association v Reserve Bank of Australia(2003) 131 FCR 300 considered Woodside Energy Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation for the Commonwealth of Australia [2006] FCA 1303 considered