Ruyters v Commissioner of Police [2021] NSWCATAD 41

Civil and Administrative Tribunal New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Ruyters v Commissioner of Police [2021] NSWCATAD 41 Date of orders: 26 February 2021 Decision date: 26 February 2021 Jurisdiction: Administrative and Equal Opportunity Division Before: K Ransome, Senior Member Decision: The decision under review is affirmed. Catchwords: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – administrative review - Government Information – information obtained through lawful telecommunications intercepts – identification of decision under review – secrecy provision – whether exception to secrecy provision applies - inconsistency between state and Commonwealth legislation – Tribunal's power to consider a constitutional question – necessity principle – matter can be decided without needing to consider constitutional issue – whether overriding public interest against disclosure – significant weight to be given to secrecy provision Legislation Cited: Administrative Decisions Review Act 1997 Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 (Cth) Cases Cited: Attorney-General of New South Wales v 2UE Sydney Pty Ltd [2006] NSWCA 349 Attorney-General (NSW) v Gatsby (2018) NSWCA 254 Attorney-General (NSW) v Brewery Employees Union (NSW) (1908) 6 CLR 469 Attorney-General's Department v Cockcroft (1986) 10 FCR 180 Bell Group NV (in liq) v Western Australia (2016) 90 ALJR 655 Burns v Corbett [2018] HCA 15 Choi v University of Technology Sydney (No 3) [2020] NSWCA 343 Collector of Customs (NSW) v Brian Lawler Automotive Pty Ltd (1979) 2 ALD 1 Donnellan v Ku-ring-gai Council [2013] NSWADT 115 Flack v Commissioner of Police, New South Wales Police [2011] NSWADT 286 ICM Agriculture Pty Ltd v The Commonwealth (2009) 240 CLR 140 Lamb v Steve Jarvin Motors Pty Ltd [2016] NSWCATAP 186 Leech v Sydney Water Corporation [2010] NSWADT 298 McGuirk v University of New South Wales [2009] NSWADTAP 12 R v Zhia Qiang Han [2011] NSWCAA 120 Re Adams and the Tax Agents' Board (1976) 1 ALD 251 Samsonidis v Commissioner, Australian Federal Police (2007) 163 FCR 111 Sunol v Collier [2012] NSWCA 14 Taciak v Commissioner of Australian Federal Police (1995) 59 FCR 285 Texts Cited: Explanatory Memorandum to the Telecommunications (interception) Amendment Bill 1987 Macquarie Dictionary Category: Principal judgment Parties: Michelle Ruyters (Applicant) Commissioner of Police (Respondent)