Kaplan v State of Victoria (No 8) [2023] FCA 1092

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Kaplan v State of Victoria (No 8) [2023] FCA 1092 File number(s): VID 391 of 2021

Judgment of: MORTIMER CJ

Date of judgment: 14 September 2023

Catchwords: HUMAN RIGHTS – racial discrimination – s 9(1) and s 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) – right to security of person and protection – right to education – right to preserve Jewish identity – where applicants are Jewish former students at Victorian public secondary school – alleged failure to protect Jewish students from antisemitic bullying and harassment – swastika graffiti – application allowed in part – speech by principal to full school assembly did not contravene s 18C NEGLIGENCE – school principal's duty of care – non-delegable duty – vicarious liability DAMAGES – orders for compensation under s 46PO(4) of the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) – aggravated damages – whether appropriate to order an apology or apologies

Legislation: Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) ss 49PO(4), 49PO(4)(d) Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) ss 22(1)(b), 24(1)(b) Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) ss 136, 140, 140(2) Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) s 79 Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) ss 3(3), 6, 9, 9(1), 9(1A), 9(2), 18A, 18A(2) 18C, 18C(1)(a), 18(1)(c)(b) Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) ss 14(2), 28B, 28B(6) Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (Qld) Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW) s 8 Crown Proceedings Act 1958 (Vic) s 23(1)(b) Equal Opportunity Act 1985 (Vic) s 87 Equal Opportunity Act 1995 (Vic) ss 86(1)(b), 87(1) Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic) ss 92, 93 Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001 (Vic) s 7 Summary Offences Amendment (Nazi Symbol Prohibition) Act 2022 (Vic) Wrongs Act 1958 (Vic) Pts VBA, X, ss 28LB, 28LC(2)(a), 28LE Convention on the Rights of the Child, opened for signature 20 November 1989, 1577 UNTS 3 (entered into force 2 September 1990) arts 8, 8(1), 12, 14, 19, 29(1)(c), 30 International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, opened for signature 21 December 1965, 660 UNTS 195 (entered into force 4 January 1969) arts 5, 5(b), 5(e)(v) International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, opened for signature 16 December 1966, 999 UNTS 171 (entered into force 23 March 1976) arts 9(1), 24(1) International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, opened for signature 16 December 1966, 993 UNTS 3 (entered into force 3 January 1976) art 13 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, GA Res 217A (III), UN GAOR, UN Doc A/810 (10 December 1948) art 26 Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, General Comment 11, UN Doc E/C.12/1999/4 (10 May 1999) Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, General Comment 13, UN Doc E/C.12/1999/10 (8 December 1999) Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, General Recommendation 20 on Article 5, UN Doc CERD/48/Misc.6/Rev.2 (8 March 1996) Human Rights Committee, General Comment No 35, UN Doc CCPR/C/GC/35 (16 December 2014) John Tobin (ed), The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child: A Commentary (Oxford University Press, 2019) Sarah Joseph and Melissa Castan, The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Cases, Materials and Commentary (Oxford University Press, 3rd edition, 2013)