Knight v State of Victoria [2014] FCA 369

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Knight v State of Victoria [2014] FCA 369 Citation: Knight v State of Victoria [2014] FCA 369

Parties: JULIAN KNIGHT v STATE OF VICTORIA, SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE and COMMISSIONER, CORRECTIONS VICTORIA

File number: VID 514 of 2013

Judge: MORTIMER J

Date of judgment: 11 April 2014

Catchwords: CONSTITUTIONAL LAW – Legislation purporting to validate decision to impose a levy on tobacco products in Victorian prisons – whether contravenes a limit arising by implication from Ch III of the Constitution – whether imposes a tax in the nature of an excise, contrary to s 90 of the Constitution – no contravention of Ch III – tobacco levy not a tax and therefore not contrary to s 90 – applicant's constitutional challenges fail.

Legislation: Constitution ch III, s 90 Corrections Act 1986 (Vic) ss 6A, 7, 8A, 21, 112C Corrections Further Amendment Act 2013 (Vic) ss 1, 3 Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) s 191 Public Administration Act 2004 (Vic) Part 3 Supreme Court Act 1986 (Vic) s 21 Corrections Regulations 2009 (Vic) reg 31 Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) r 4.12

Cases cited: Air Caledonie International v Commonwealth (1988) 165 CLR 462 Airservices Australia v Canadian Airlines International Ltd (1999) 202 CLR 133; [1999] HCA 62 Anderson's Pty Ltd v Victoria (1964) 111 CLR 353 Attorney-General (Vic) v Knight [2004] VSC 407 Australian Capital Territory v Queanbeyan City Council (2010) 188 FCR 541; [2010] FCAFC 124 Australian Education Union v Fair Work Australia (2012) 246 CLR 117; [2012] HCA 19 Commissioner for Revenue (ACT) v Kithock (2000) 102 FCR 42; [2000] FCA 1098 Commonwealth v South Australia (1926) 38 CLR 408 Dickenson's Arcade Pty Ltd v Tasmania (1974) 130 CLR 177 General Practitioners Society in Australia v Commonwealth (1980) 145 CLR 532 Ha v New South Wales (1997) 189 CLR 465 Harper v Minister for Sea Fisheries (1989) 168 CLR 314 Hematite Petroleum Pty Ltd v Victoria (1983) 151 CLR 599 Holly v Scott, 434 F 3d 287 (4th Cir, 2006) Kable v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) (1996) 189 CLR 51 Kirk v Industrial Court of New South Wales (2010) 239 CLR 531; [2010] HCA 1 Knight v Secretary to the Department of Justice [2011] VSC 571 Knight v Secretary, Department of Justice [2012] VSC 613 Kuligowski v Metrobus (2004) 220 CLR 363; [2004] HCA 34 Matthews v Chicory Marketing Board (Vic) (1938) 60 CLR 263 Parton v Milk Board (Vic) (1949) 80 CLR 229 Plaintiff S157/2002 v Commonwealth (2003) 211 CLR 476; [2003] HCA 2 Queanbeyan City Council v ACTEW Corporation Ltd (2011) 244 CLR 530; [2011] HCA 40 R v Humby; Ex parte Rooney (1973) 129 CLR 231 R v Knight [1989] VR 705 Ramsay v Pigram (1968) 118 CLR 271 Re Macks; Ex parte Saint (2000) 204 CLR 158; [2000] HCA 62 Roy Morgan Research Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (2011) 244 CLR 97; [2011] HCA 35 South Australia v Totani (2010) 242 CLR 1; [2010] HCA 39