Medibank Private Limited v Australian Information Commissioner [2024] FCA 117

Federal Court of Australia

Medibank Private Limited v Australian Information Commissioner [2024] FCA 117 File number: VID 757 of 2023

Judgment of: BEACH J

Date of judgment: 22 February 2024

Catchwords: PRIVACY — investigation by Australian Information Commissioner — breach of Australian Privacy Principles — own initiative investigation under s 40(2) of Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) — representative complaint under ss 36 and 38 of the Act — injunction to restrain investigation under representative complaint — separate Federal Court representative proceeding dealing with overlapping issues — determination under s 52 of the Act — enforcement of any determination under s 55A of the Act — real risk of interference with the administration of justice — risk of inconsistent findings and legal conclusions — injunction sought to restrain Commissioner from proceeding to investigate the representative complaint — injunction refused

Legislation: Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) ss 23, 33C Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) ss 13, 15, 36, 38, 38A, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 46, 52, 52A, 55, 55A, 58, 59, 62, 72, 80A, 80E, 80W, 96 Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Act 2014 (Cth) ss 116, 118, 121, 125

Cases cited: Attorney-General for the Commonwealth v Breckler (1999) 197 CLR 83 Australian Health & Nutrition Association Ltd v Hive Marketing Group Pty Ltd (2019) 99 NSWLR 419 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v AGM Markets Pty Ltd (No 2) [2018] FCA 1470 Brandy v Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (1995) 183 CLR 245 CSR Limited v Cigna Insurance Australia Limited (1997) 189 CLR 345 Hammond v The Commonwealth of Australia (1982) 152 CLR 188 King v Goussetis (1986) 5 NSWLR 89 Kraft Foods Group Brands LLC v Bega Cheese Limited (2018) 358 ALR 1 Lee v New South Wales Crime Commission (2013) 251 CLR 196 Recyclers of Australia Pty Ltd v Hettinga Equipment Inc (2000) 100 FCR 420 Reid v Howard (1995) 184 CLR 1 Royal Commission into Certain Crown Leaseholds (No 2) [1956] St R Qd 239 Sage v Australian Securities and Investments Commission [2005] FCA 1043 State of Victoria v Australian Building Construction Employees' and Builders Labourers' Federation (1982) 152 CLR 25 The Queen v Trade Practices Tribunal; ex parte Tasmanian Breweries Proprietary Limited (1970) 123 CLR 361 X7 v Australian Crime Commission (2013) 248 CLR 92 I C F Spry, Equitable Remedies (Law Book Co, 1971)