Giddings v Australian Information Commissioner [2017] FCA 677

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Giddings v Australian Information Commissioner [2017] FCA 677 File number: ACD 100 of 2016

Judge: TRACEY J

Date of judgment: 16 June 2017

Catchwords: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – application for judicial review of a decision of a delegate of the Australian Information Commissioner under s 54W(a)(ii) of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) to refuse to continue to review a decision – whether decision-maker took an irrelevant consideration into account PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – where delegate named personally as the respondent – whether appropriate to instead name the delegator as the respondent – consideration of the effect of s 34AB(1)(c) of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) on the naming of the respondent PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – applications for closed court, non-publication and suppression orders – whether grounds for making such orders

Legislation: Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) ss 25D, 34AB(1)(c) Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 (Cth) s 5 Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) s 17(4), Pt VAA Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) ss 3, 54N(1), 54W, 54W(a), 54W(a)(i), 54W(a)(ii), 54S, 54T, 55G, 55K, 55K(1), 55K(4), 55K(4)(a), 55K(6), 55K(8) Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) s 39B Acts Interpretation Act 1931 (Tas) s 23AA(4)

Cases cited: Australian Education Union v Department of Education and Children's Services (2012) 248 CLR 1; [2012] HCA 3 BMF16 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2016] FCA 1530 Brown v Rezitis (1970) 127 CLR 157 Carltona Ltd v Commissioner of Works [1943] 2 All ER 560 Commonwealth v Sex Discrimination Commissioner (1998) 90 FCR 179; [1998] FCA 1607 Forest Marsh Pty Ltd v Resource Planning and Development Commission (2007) 16 Tas R 280; [2007] TASSC 50 Johns v Australian Securities Commission (1993) 178 CLR 408 Kerr v Commissioner of Police (1977) 2 NSWLR 721 Koon Wing Lau v Calwell (1949) 80 CLR 533 Littlewoods Mail Order Stores Ltd v Inland Revenue Commissioners [1963] AC 135 Madras Electric Supply Corporation Ltd v Boarland [1955] AC 667 Malubel Pty Ltd v Elder (1997) 98 A Crim R 192; [1997] FCA 1310 McGraw-Hinds (Aust) Pty Ltd v Smith (1979) 144 CLR 633 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Wang (2003) 215 CLR 518; [2003] HCA 11 Orfali v Australian Information Commissioner [2016] FCA 1386 O'Reilly v Commissioners of the State Bank of Victoria (1983) 153 CLR 1 at 39 Owendale Pty Ltd v Anthony (1967) 117 CLR 53 Plaintiff S297/2013 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2014) 255 CLR 179; [2014] HCA 24 Re Federal Commissioner of Taxation; Ex parte Australena Investments Pty Ltd (1983) 50 ALR 577 Re Reference under Section 11 of the Ombudsman Act 1976 for an Advisory Opinion; Ex parte Director-General of Social Services (1979) 2 ALD 86 Shahi v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship (2011) 246 CLR 163; [2011] HCA 52 Singh v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2016] FCAFC 141 Wingfoot Australia Partners Pty Ltd v Kocak (2013) 252 CLR 480; [2013] HCA 43