FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA Handy v State of Victoria [2012] FCA 837 Citation: Handy v State of Victoria [2012] FCA 837 Parties: MARGARET ELIZABETH HANDY, ROSE FLORENCE MARLENE KIRBY, JOANN MAY MORGAN, KEVIN PEARCE, JUDITH EVELYN WILLIAMS, RAYMOND KENNEDY, BRENDAN MICHAEL KENNEDY AND GREG JOHN KENNEDY ON BEHALF OF THE ROBINVALE ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY v STATE OF VICTORIA and others as per the attached schedule File number: VID 6003 of 1998 Judge: NORTH J Date of judgment: 23 July 2012 Date of hearing: 23 July 2012 Place: Melbourne Division: GENERAL DIVISION Category: No Catchwords Number of paragraphs: 7 Solicitor for the Applicant: Mr A Kelly of National Native Title Service Victoria Solicitor for the Respondent: Mr J Stephens of Victorian Government Solicitor's Office IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA VICTORIA DISTRICT REGISTRY GENERAL DIVISION VID 6003 of 1998 BETWEEN: MARGARET ELIZABETH HANDY, ROSE FLORENCE MARLENE KIRBY, JOANN MAY MORGAN, KEVIN PEARCE, JUDITH EVELYN WILLIAMS, RAYMOND KENNEDY, BRENDAN MICHAEL KENNEDY AND GREG JOHN KENNEDY ON BEHALF OF THE ROBINVALE ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY Applicant AND: STATE OF VICTORIA and others as per the attached schedule Respondent JUDGE: NORTH J DATE OF ORDER: 23 JULY 2012 WHERE MADE: MELBOURNE THE COURT ORDERS THAT: 1. Leave is granted to the applicant to withdraw the application. Note: Entry of orders is dealt with in Rule 39.32 of the Federal Court Rules 2011. IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA VICTORIA DISTRICT REGISTRY GENERAL DIVISION VID 6003 of 1998 BETWEEN: MARGARET ELIZABETH HANDY, ROSE FLORENCE MARLENE KIRBY, JOANN MAY MORGAN, KEVIN PEARCE, JUDITH EVELYN WILLIAMS, RAYMOND KENNEDY, BRENDAN MICHAEL KENNEDY AND GREG JOHN KENNEDY ON BEHALF OF THE ROBINVALE ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY Applicant AND: STATE OF VICTORIA and others as per the attached schedule Respondent JUDGE: NORTH J DATE: 23 JULY 2012 PLACE: MELBOURNE REASONS FOR JUDGMENT 1 The applicant applies for leave to withdraw the application for a determination of native title. 2 In support of the application, the applicant filed an affidavit affirmed on 19 July 2012 by Anthony Kelly, the solicitor for the applicant, employed by Native Title Services Victoria Ltd (NTSV), setting out the steps taken by the applicant to notify the respondents of their intention to apply for the order. The affidavit discloses that on 14 May 2012, NTSV wrote to a large number of the respondents seeking consent to the withdrawal of the application (the first letter). The first letter indicated that if no response was received by close of business on 15 June 2012, then the applicant would assume that the particular respondent did not object to the consent orders proposed. 3 The active respondents to the application, namely, the State of Victoria, the Latji Latji people, Powercor and Telstra each agreed to the consent orders proposed by the applicant. However, when the matter was first heard on 21 June 2012, it became apparent that the first letter had not been sent to all of the respondents to the application. Apparently, the addresses of a number of the respondents were not at that time available to NTSV. Consequently, the matter was stood over to allow NTSV to take steps to contact the remaining respondents and seek their views. 4 On 22 June 2012, the Court was able to provide NTSV with the contact details of the remaining respondents. On 26 June 2012, NTSV sent to those remaining respondents a letter in similar form to the first letter seeking the consent of those respondents to the application for withdrawal. This second letter stipulated that if a response was not received by 18 July 2012, then NTSV would assume that the particular respondent did not object to the orders being made. 5 Orders had been made early in the management of the application to allocate the respondents into 19 groups. After dispatch of both letters, consents were received in respect of 10 of those groups. In relation to the remaining nine groups, NTSV received responses from 24 individuals representing four of those groups. Mr Kelly, who appeared on behalf of the applicant, estimated that approximately 80 individuals had not responded to either the first or second letter. None of these individuals have been active respondents to the application. 6 Thus, the respondents who have taken an active part in the application have agreed to the orders sought by the applicant. In addition, a majority of the party groups have consented to the orders being made. The remaining respondents have been notified by letter individually or to the group representative. It follows that there is a proper basis on the evidence for the orders sought by the applicant. 7 The Court will therefore order that the applicant have leave to withdraw application VID 6003 of 1998. I certify that the preceding seven (7) numbered paragraphs are a true copy of the Reasons for Judgment herein of the Honourable Justice North. Associate: Dated: 8 August 2012 Schedule of Respondents STATE OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA STATE OF VICTORIA LOWER MURRAY URBAN WATER CORPORATION ROBINVALE DISTRICT HEALTH SERVICE LOIS ALMA MANLEY GARY RAYMOND MANLEY ROHAN J LOY TREVOR JURY VINCENZO FOTIA DALE A FORBES GERARD CURRAN PHILLIP CAMERA ALAN JAMES BRANSON JENENE WORTHINGTON LANCASTER WORTHINGTON FRANCIS WILLIAM SMITH L G ROBINSON TIMOTHY BRYCE RICKER JANELLE GAYE RICKER PETHARD IRRIGATION COMPANY PTY LTD PATRICIA MARGARET O'BRIEN PETER W O'BRIEN HAPPY VALLEY ESTATE SAVARIA DELUCA GASPARE DELUCA RAYMOND T CUPPER GENO LUIGI BRIGANTE WIMMERA MALLEE WATER SUNRAYSIA RURAL WATER AUTHORITY ROBINVALE SECONDARY COLLEGE GRAMPIANS REGIONAL WATER AUTHORITY JOSEPH FRANCIS HANSFORD MARY ELLEN HANSFORD GIUSEPPE ITALIA KATRINA GERVASI JOE GERVASI NEVILLE GARDNER DOROTHY JOAN EXELL KEITH WILLIAM EXELL G J DAX MARGARET ANN COUSINS JOHN DAVID COUSINS PETER M CORCORAN TREVOR JAMES CHAPPLE KAREN PATRICIA CHAPPLE GREGORY ROSS CHAPPLE CB HOLDINGS (VICTORIA) PTY LTD M A BEHSMANN B R BEHSMANN E S BAILEY A BAILEY MAVIS ZANKER SIGMUND ZANKER TREVOR GORDON SMITH N J MITCHELL S I NICHOLS F E NICHOLS P P NICHOLS P D MITCHELL N F MITCHELL MAURICE VALENTINE HARDING MARGARET JOAN SINAPIUS BRETT THOMAS SINAPIUS IAN DODEMAIDE DIANE COOPER JEAN MARGARET JOHNSTON CHRISTOPHER N KATIS VINCENT KELLY MICHAEL JAMES KETTS EDITH FRANCES KETTS KOKODA PUMPING SYNDICATE ROBERT RONALD LANGSHAW BEVERLY KAYE LANGSHAW MICHAEL B LESLIE TERI M LESLIE ROY C MANNION VERONICA MANNION WILLIAM FRANCIS MCGINTY DONNA O'CONNOR JOHN ROBERT OLIVER CLARENCE EDWARD PARKER W D PHILLIPS S J PHILLIPS J J PRAGT M T PRAGT SCOTT P REDDY R G O'BREE P F O'BREE VERNON ALBERT RIDLEY SHANE MICHAEL RYAN ALFRED G SMITH KATHERINE I SMITH ALFRED HENRY PATRICK SMITH DAVID O'CONNOR HUNT PUMPING SYNDICATE ACUTT HOLDINGS PTY LTD R J ANDERSON ANNA MARIA ZAPPIA FERDINANDO ZAPPIA CARMELA ZAFFINA PASQUALE ZAFFINA CYNTHIA JOY WILLIS RONALD KEITH WILLIS IVAN MAXWELL TELFORD BRIGANTE BROTHERS IAN BOYD W C BORAM H H BORAM BONYARICALL VINEYARDS PTY LTD BB OLIVES PTY LTD JACKI BARONE STEVE BARONE BARONE M NOMINEES PTY LTD BANNERTON PIPELINE GROUP BEVERLY ANNE PORTEOUS ALAN BAILEY KYRIAKY ANDRIOLAS ILIAS ANDRIOLAS D K ANDERSON A & L ROMEO PTY LTD LINDA JUNE BYE FRANK CACCAVIELLO G CAMERA JOHN JAMES BYE T J BUTTON B L BUTTON PHILIP BURKETT BROOKLYN PARK PUMPING SYNDICATE ANNUELLO PIPELINE GROUP PTY LTD G CORDOMA FRANCESCO CORDOMA STEPHEN J CONNOR PETER W CONNOR CHRIS CONNOR ANN CONNOR A H CONNOR COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLES LTD CLYNTON TOWER PTY LTD LYNDA MARGARET CHISLETT GLEN KINGSLEY CHISLETT J P CHALMERS D S CHALMERS RHONDA CATTANACH DAVID CATTANACH G CAREY COLIN L CAREY CORDOMA NOMINEES PTY LTD (ACN 006 311 173) SALVATORE CAMINITI CATERINA CAMINITI LUIGI CORDOMA MARIO CORDOMA ROSARIO CORDOMA ELLYN ELIZABETH CRAWFORD PATRICK CURRAN MARY CURRAN GEOFFREY ROBERT DAVIES LEANNE DAVIES DB MATTHEWS (COLIGNAN) PTY LTD SALVATORE DENARO NELLA DENARO J G DESMOND SOULINE NOMINEES PTY LTD D G MITCHELL & SONS ARTHUR H DIXON CRAIG DOMAILLE TRACEY DOMAILLE BRIAN JAMES ENGLEFIELD JANINE PATRICH ENGLEFIELD LEO EDWARD ENGLEFIELD J ERCEG M ERCEG ALEXANDER FISHER GLENDA FISHER A D GABY F M GABY D GIOFRELLE R GIOFRELLE GJK & SC CHISLETT DEVELOPMENTS PTY LTD GRAPELAND PTY LTD V GROTTO RUSSELL JOHN HAMMET FRANCESCA LAZZARA HATTAH RESIDENTS WATER USERS ASSOCIATION INC DONALD HAYDEN THELMA HAYDEN RODNEY J HAYDEN ROBERT JAMES HAYNES IAN HICKEY PETER C HIGGINS ERNEST EDWARD HOCKING JEANETTE HUME GRAHAM HAEUSLER C B IENCO M A IENCO ROSS IUDICA MARY IUDICA NOEL MARTIN JOHNSON JANET KAY JOHNSON JUNCTION NOMINEES (NO ONE) PTY LTD JOHN KEATING GRACE KEATING KOOLOONONG WATER SCHEME INC KYNDALYN PARK PTY LTD R LAMATTINA A LAMATTINA L I LARKIN ANTONIO LAZZARA MADGE LAZZARA CARMELA LAZZARA GIUSEPPE LAZZARA KATRINA ANNE HAMMET GEOFFREY MCMONNIES WENDY MCGINNISKIN ROBERT FRANCIS MCMONNIES GEOFF MCGINNISKIN C MCCARTHER JANETTE RUTH MASON BRIAN ROBERT MASON LUIGI MASE ALDO MASE MARK SMITH (WEMEN) PTY LTD BRENT MANNIX JANETTE MANNA VINCE MANNA ROBERT MANNA DESMOND LOY BARBRA LOY LOU FLOWER JEAN LONSDALE LILY EMMA LIARDET ANNA LIAKOS GEORGINA LIAKOS ILLIAS LIAKOS ANTONINO LENZI PETER LIAKOS MICHAEL LIAKOS C PULEIO R L MCQUEEN A ROMEO E ROMEO NUNZATIO ROMEO MOYRA J ROWE S & G SCALORA AND SONS H J SINAPIUS G R SINAPIUS N P SINAPIUS GRAHAM ROWE PETER ROGERS MARION PETERS GEOFFREY CRAIG PETERS CAROLYN ANN PAYNE PETER GRAEME PAYNE GILMORE JOSEPH PAUL SINCLAIR ANTICO VICTORIA PTY LTD OBETZ HOLDINGS PTY LTD A NATALE F G NATALE E MYRIALLAKIS K MYRIALLAKIS G MYRIALLAKIS I MYRIALLAKIS H N MURPHY G MURPHY JEAN MUMFORD GARY MUMFORD JEAN M MILLARD TONY MEZZATESTA F MEZZATESTA A MEZZATESTA MEZZATESTA BROTHERS S PULEIO KEVIN SMITH SOMERSET GRAPES PTY LTD ANDREW SYLVESTER K TATE D TATE TOL TOL PUMPING SYNDICATE PTY LTD DONALD TURNER TWO RIVERS VINEYARDS PTY LTD WEMEN WATER GROUP DAVID S WESCOMBE LYNETTE WESCOMBE KEN JOHN WESTMORE ALAN WILLIAM YOUNG A R YOUNG E F YOUNG AUDREY HELEN YOUNG ROCCO ZAPPIA ELIZABETH ZAPPIA A ZARA JOHN WILLIAM MANNING AGNES THERESA NEYLAND TABLE GRAPE GROWERS OF AUSTRALIA PTY LTD ALICE SMITH CHARLES MARK NEYLAND SUSAN E DOMAILLE VALERIE JOAN BEST EUSTON CO-OP RURAL SOCIETY LTD GARY C FARNSWORTH IRENE E FARNSWORTH ROBIN JOHN HACKETT MICHAEL HEALY RAYMOND HEALY PATRICK HEALY GERALD FRANCIS HOARE JOAN DOROTHY HOARE PAULINE ANN HOWLEY ROBERT STEPHEN KNOTT TERESA IRENE KNOTT I M LOCKHART L E LOCKHART KENNETH ARNOLD MCNEES ROSALIE DAWN MCNEES MEILMAN EAST PTY LTD CHALMERS NURSERIES PTY LTD MILLIEU HOLDINGS PTY LTD MARIA GUISEPPE CACCAVIELLO DOUGLAS MALCOLM BEST ROGER W DOMAILLE WENDY ELIZABETH DALTON GRAEME VICTOR DALTON LEONARDO CACCAVIELLO TOOLEYBUC SPORTING CLUB LTD GREGORY LAWRENCE NEYLAND ANGELA SCALORA JILL NEVA BOSUA I L TYACK L L TYACK E V TYACK B SHALDERS PYRENEES APIARIES SYDNEY JOHN MATTHEWS R MCDONALD E MCDONALD I J OAKLEY R K ROBINSON H S ROBINSON RUSSELL GERARD SAM SCALORA ANTONIA SCALORA PAUL SCALORA JACANNA VINEYARDS PTY LTD CONCETTA (JACK) SCALORA WILLIAM FRANK SALAU IAN JOHN SKILLER TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED KEITH ALEXANDER STEVE ALEXANDER D R DAVIES HENRY S W DAVIES MAXWELL GREGG KENNETH HEARNE BLAZ MARKOVIC ROBINVALE PISTOL CLUB ROBINVALE RIFLE CLUB INC ROBINVALE 80 SKI RACE COMMITTEE INC AUSTRALIAN TRAIL BIKE TOURS FIELD & GAME AUSTRALIA INC FREDERICK RALPH HARRADINE POWERCOR AUSTRALIA LIMITED COLIN MANSELL BALRANALD SHIRE COUNCIL CARMELO ZARA