Commissioner of Police v Gray [2020] NSWSC 867

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Commissioner of Police v Gray [2020] NSWSC 867 Hearing dates: 3 July 2020 Date of orders: 3 July 2020 Decision date: 04 July 2020 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Adamson J Decision: (1) Refuse the plaintiff's application for an order under s 25 of the Summary Offences Act 1988 (NSW) (the Act) prohibiting the protest in respect of which the defendant served a notice in accordance with s 23(1) of the Act. (2) Otherwise dismiss the summons. (3) Order the plaintiff to pay the defendant's costs of the proceedings. Catchwords: PUBLIC ASSEMBLY — Summary Offences Act 1988 (NSW) — whether order pursuant to s 25(1) should be made prohibiting the holding of a public assembly STATUTORY INTERPRETATION — Summary Offences Act 1988 (NSW) — whether immunity in s 24 extends to offences arising from breach of ministerial direction prohibiting gatherings of more than 20 people Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 4 Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (NSW), ss 197, 199, 200 Public Health Act 2010 (NSW), ss 7, 10 Public Health (COVID-19 Restrictions on Gathering and Movement) Order (No 4) 2020 (NSW), cll 3, 18 Public Health (COVID-19 Restrictions on Gathering and Movement) Order (No 3) 2020 (NSW) Summary Offences Act 1988 (NSW), ss 23–25, 27 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 42.1 Cases Cited: Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenue (Northern Territory) (2009) 239 CLR 27; [2009] HCA 41 Bassi v Commission of Police (NSW) [2020] NSWCA 109 Butler v Attorney-General (Victoria) (1961) 106 CLR 268; [1961] HCA 32 Commissioner of Police v Allen (1984) 14 A Crim R 244 Commissioner of Police v Bassi [2020] NSWSC 710 Commissioner of Police v Folkes [2015] NSWSC 1887 Commissioner of Police v Gabriel [2004] NSWSC 31; (2004) 141 A Crim R 566 Commissioner of Police v Langosch [2012] NSWSC 499 Commissioner of Police v Rintoul [2003] NSWSC 662 Commissioner of Police v Vranjkovic (Supreme Court (NSW), Lee J, 28 November 1980, unrep) Lange v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1997) 189 CLR 520; [1997] HCA 25 New South Wales Commissioner of Police v Bainbridge [2007] NSWSC 1015; (2007) 175 A Crim R 226 Texts Cited: Pearce and Geddes, Statutory Interpretation in Australia (7th ed, 2011, LexisNexis Butterworths) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Commissioner of Police (Plaintiff) Taylah Gray (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: M Spartalis (Plaintiff) F Graham (Defendant)