Lawrance v The Commonwealth of Australia [2007] FCA 1524

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Lawrance v The Commonwealth of Australia [2007] FCA 1524

APPEALS – appealing interlocutory decisions – whether rulings on the admissibility of evidence are judgments or orders subject to appeal – rulings on evidence made in advance of, or in the course of, a trial are not usually interlocutory judgments or orders PROCEDURAL FAIRNESS - where there is a breach of procedural fairness it will often be necessary for a matter to be heard again – appeal at an interlocutory stage is appropriate to avoid proceedings that would ultimately be futile – unnecessary to advance an interlocutory appeal when the proceedings are close to conclusion Disability Services Act 1986 (Cth) Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) s 55, s 56, s 135 Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) s 4, s 24 Federal Court Rules O 52 r 4(2), O 52 r 4(3) Federal Magistrates Act 1999 (Cth) s 45 Federal Magistrates Court Rules 2001 r 15.29 Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) Freedom of Information Act 1989 (NSW) Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986 (Cth) s 46PO The Constitution (Cth) s 73 Ah Toy v Registrar of Companies (1985) 10 FCR 280 Botzatsis v Spenakakis (1997) 97 ACrimR 296 Brooks v The Upjohn Company (1998) 85 FCR 469 Concrete Pty Ltd v Parramatta Design & Developments Pty Ltd (2006) 81 ALJR 352 Décor Corporation Pty Ltd v Dart Industries Inc (1991) 33 FCR 397 Driclad Pty Limited v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1968) 121 CLR 45 Ex parte Bucknell (1936) 56 CLR 221 Lawrance v Commonwealth & Anor (No 4) [2007] FMCA 1408 Lawrance v Commonwealth of Australia & Anor (No 3) [2007] FMCA 806 Lawrance v Commonwealth of Australia & Ors [2006] FMCA 1792 Lawrance v The Commonwealth of Australia & Ors (No 2) [2007] FMCA 797 Moller v Roy (1975) 132 CLR 622 R v Ireland (1970) 126 CLR 321 R v Steffan (1993) 30 NSWLR 633 at 639; Attorney-General for New South Wales v Stuart (1994) 34 NSWLR 667 The Commonwealth v Mullane (1961) 106 CLR 166 Yap v Granich and Associates [2001] FCA 1735 AROHA LAWRANCE v THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA, THE STATE OF NEW SOUTH WALES, THE SECRETARY - DEPARTMENT OF FAMILIES, COMMUNITY SERVICES & INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS, THE GENERAL MANAGER - CRS AUSTRALIA, THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT SOLICITOR, ANDRAS MARKUS, THE REGISTRAR - FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, KIM LACKENBY, MICHAEL WALL, MICHAEL PACKER, JOHN PETKOVSHEK, JULIET CURTAIN AND GERARD ENGLISH NSD 1600 OF 2007