Kikuyu v Hazzard (No 2) [2022] FCA 812

Federal Court of Australia

Kikuyu v Hazzard (No 2) [2022] FCA 812 File number: NSD 1303 of 2021

Judgment of: LEE J

Date of judgment: 13 July 2022

Catchwords: CONSTITUTIONAL LAW – where applicant had not received any doses of a COVID-19 vaccine – where applicant's employment under Health Services Act 1997 (NSW) terminated owing to vaccination status – whether State laws inconsistent with Biosecurity Act 2015 (Cth) pursuant to s 109 of the Constitution – whether inconsistency direct or indirect – Biosecurity Act does not "cover the field" – Biosecurity Act and impugned State laws do not concern the same subject matter – State laws do not "alter, impair or detract from" Biosecurity Act – no inconsistency – State laws neither invalid nor inoperative under s 109

Legislation: Constitution s 109 Biosecurity Act 2015 (Cth) Pt 2 Ch 8; ss 8, 8(1), 8(2), 8(2)(c), 42, 42(1), 473, 475(1), 475(1)(a), 477, 477(1), 477(5), 478, 478(1), 478(4), 478(5) Health Services Act 1997 (NSW) s 116A, 116A(1) Public Health Act 2010 (NSW) s 7

Cases cited: Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd v Wardley (1980) 142 CLR 237 Bell Group NV (in liq) v Western Australia [2016] HCA 21; (2016) 260 CLR 500 Clyde Engineering Co Ltd v Cowburn (1926) 37 CLR 466 Ex Parte McLean (1930) 43 CLR 472 Jemena Asset Management (3) Pty Ltd v Coinvest Ltd [2011] HCA 33; (2011) 244 CLR 508 Kassam v Hazzard; Henry v Hazzard [2021] NSWSC 1320; (2021) 393 ALR 664 Knowles v Commonwealth of Australia [2022] FCA 741 McWaters v Day (1989) 168 CLR 289 Momcilovic v The Queen [2011] HCA 34; (2011) 245 CLR 1 Palmer v Western Australia [2021] HCA 5; (2021) 95 ALJR 229 R v Winneke; Ex parte Gallagher (1982) 152 CLR 211 Telstra Corporation Ltd v Worthing [1999] HCA 12; (1999) 197 CLR 61 The Commonwealth v Australian Capital Territory [2013] HCA 55; (2013) 250 CLR 441 Victoria v The Commonwealth (1937) 58 CLR 618 Work Health Authority v Outback Ballooning Pty Ltd [2019] HCA 2; (2019) 266 CLR 428