Esposito v The Commonwealth [2013] FCA 546

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Esposito v The Commonwealth [2013] FCA 546 Citation: Esposito v The Commonwealth [2013] FCA 546

Parties: JUNE YVONNE ESPOSITO, MARGARET-ANNE HUTTON, DANIEL WALTER MASSAIOLI, SAM DE MARIA and BRIAN GEORGE EDWARD SMITH v COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA, STATE OF NEW SOUTH WALES, SHOALHAVEN CITY COUNCIL and FOUNDATION FOR NATIONAL PARKS AND WILDLIFE

File number: NSD 924 of 2013

Judge: GRIFFITHS J

Date of judgment: 31 May 2013

Catchwords: PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – Part IVA proceedings - whether to grant interlocutory injunction – whether serious question to be tried on acquisition of property on unjust terms (s 51(xxxi) of the Constitution or s 519 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Protection Act 2004 (Cth) ('EPBC Act'), unjust enrichment or false or misleading representations – whether acquisition of property required to be compulsory to offend Constitutional guarantee or to obtain s 519 EPBC Act relief – balance of convenience

Legislation: Civil Dispute Resolution Act 2011 (Cth) s 11 Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 2004 (Cth) ss 18, 18A, 26, 27A, 87, 130 Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) Pt IVA Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) s 78B

Cases cited: Bank of NSW v The Commonwealth (1948) 76 CLR 1 British Medical Association v The Commonwealth (1949) 79 CLR 201 Castlemaine Tooheys Limited v The State of South Australia (1996) 161 CLR 148 ICM Agriculture Pty Ltd v Commonwealth (2009) 240 CLR 140 J T International SA v Commonwealth (2012) 86 ALJR 1297 Newcrest Mining (WA) Ltd v The Commonwealth (1997) 190 CLR 513 P J Magennis Pty Ltd v Commonwealth (1949) 80 CLR 382 The Commonwealth v Tasmania (1983) 158 CLR 1 Waterhouse v Minister for the Arts and Territories (1993) 43 FCR 175