R v AB; R v CD; R v EF [2023] NSWCCA 168

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: R v AB; R v CD; R v EF [2023] NSWCCA 168 Hearing dates: 12 September 2022 Date of orders: 30 June 2023 Decision date: 30 June 2023 Before: Meagher JA; Harrison J; Hamill J Decision: Answers to the questions submitted are: Question 1: No Question 2: No Question 3: No Catchwords: CRIME — federal offences — bribing a foreign public official — elements of offence — "obtain or retain business" — whether limited to directly obtaining or retaining business — where alternative purpose element of offence is "obtain or retain a business advantage" — whether meaning of "obtain or retain business" should be narrowed beyond ordinary meaning to allow effective application of "obtain or retain a business advantage" Legislation Cited: Criminal Code (Cth), ss 5.4(1), (4), 5.6(1), (2), 11.5(1), 70.2(1) Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 (NSW), s 108(2), (5), (6) Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth), s 68 Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, Article 1, paragraphs 1 and 3 Cases Cited: Alqudsi v The Queen (2016) 258 CLR 203; [2016] HCA 24 Attorney-General's Application pursuant to s 108 Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 (NSW): Re Robert Burton (a pseudonym) [2021] NSWCCA 87 Commissioner of Taxation of the Commonwealth of Australia v Consolidated Media Holdings Ltd (2012) 250 CLR 503; [2012] HCA 55 Fothergill v Monarch Airlines [1981] AC 251 Mellifont v Attorney-General for the State of Queensland (1991) 173 CLR 289; [1991] HCA 53 Questions of Law Reserved on Acquittal (No 2 of 1993) (1993) 61 SASR 1 R v Cook; ex parte Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) [1996] 2 Qd R 283 R v Gee (2003) 212 CLR 230; [2003] HCA 12 R v Thaller and Gee (Question of Law Reserved) (2001) 79 SASR 295; [2001] SASC 14 Re Australian Industrial Relations Commission; Ex parte Australian Transport Officers Federation (1990) 171 CLR 216; [1990] HCA 52 Romeyko v Samuels (1972) 2 SASR 529 SZTAL v Minister for Immigration and Boarder Protection (2017) 262 CLR 362; [2017] HCA 34 Texts Cited: Explanatory Memorandum, Criminal Code Amendment (Bribery of Foreign Public Officials) Bill 1999 (Cth) Commentaries on the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions Category: Principal judgment Parties: Rex (Applicant) AB (Respondent in the first proceeding below) CD (Respondent in the second proceeding below) EF (Respondent in the third proceeding below) Representation: Counsel: