Wojciechowska v Secretary, Department of Communities and Justice; Wojciechowska v Registrar, Civil and Administrative Tribunal [2023] NSWCA 191

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Wojciechowska v Secretary, Department of Communities and Justice; Wojciechowska v Registrar, Civil and Administrative Tribunal [2023] NSWCA 191 Hearing dates: 24 April 2023 Date of orders: 17 August 2023 Decision date: 17 August 2023 Before: Mitchelmore JA at [1]; Kirk JA at [2]; Griffiths AJA at [152] Decision: Matter number 2023/53137: (1) The plaintiff has leave to amend prayer 1 of the amended summons filed on 26 July 2022 so as to: (a) add the following text between "2022/00123205" and "because" in the chapeau of the prayer: ", and grant relief in the nature of prohibition accordingly,"; and (b) add as subparagraph (ii) the words "the conferral of administrative power in respect of the matter listed in s 75(iv) of the Commonwealth Constitution is invalid". (2) Declare that the Civil and Administrative Tribunal had and has no jurisdiction to determine the claims made by the applicant in proceedings number 2019/382033 and proceedings number 2022/194626. (3) Prayer 1 of the amended summons is otherwise dismissed. (4) If either side seeks an order relating to the costs of the proceedings before this Court other than that proposed at [149] of this Court's judgment then they may file and serve submissions of no more than three pages, along with any supporting materials, within five business days of these orders, with any reply submissions of no more than one page to be filed and served within a further two business days. Matter number 2022/295461: (1) The proceedings are dismissed. (2) If either side seeks an order relating to the costs of the proceedings before this Court other than that proposed at [149] of this Court's judgment then they may file and serve submissions of no more than three pages, along with any supporting materials, within five business days of these orders, with any reply submissions of no more than one page to be filed and served within a further two business days. Catchwords: CONSTITUTIONAL LAW — Federal jurisdiction — Diversity jurisdiction — Dispute between a State and a resident of another State — Jurisdiction of NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal — Proceedings were of a kind falling within ss 75(iv) of the Constitution — Nature of the Burns v Corbett restriction CONSTITUTIONAL LAW — Federal jurisdiction — Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW) — Reviewable decisions — Whether Tribunal exercising judicial power — Where reviewable decisions involve governmental administration — Where administrative schemes involve legal criteria — Where Tribunal is not enforcing pre-existing, distinct legal rights — Where Tribunal bears features characteristic of administrative tribunals in Australia — Where Tribunal's task is to undertake merits review — Where tribunal is exercising non-judicial power — Burns v Corbett restriction does not apply — Powers may be validly exercised by the Tribunal in proceedings which, otherwise, would fall within federal jurisdiction CONSTITUTIONAL LAW — Federal jurisdiction — Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW) — Where context of the Act for government record-keeping is administrative — Damages sought under s 55(2)(a) of the Act — Damages is a remedy characteristically and historically awarded by courts — Where the Tribunal is making orders directed to the agency, rather than in lieu of the agency's own decision — Where order made under s 55(2)(a) is to be certified under s 78(1) of the Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 (NSW) — Where the decision of an administrative body is given the effect of a decision of a court — Where exercise of judicial power if and when such an order is sought — No occasion to read down or sever s 78 — Burns v Corbett restriction applies Legislation Cited: Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 (Cth) Administrative Decisions Review Act 1997 (NSW), ss 7-9, 63, 64, 65, 66; Ch 3; Pts 2, 3 Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW) Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 (NSW), ss 13, 16, 17, 27(1)(a), 28, 32, 33, 34B(1), 34B(2), 38, 48, 52, 54, 72, 73, 75 ,77, 78, 80, 81, 83(1); Pt 3A; Sch 3 cl 3(1)(a), cl 9(1) Commonwealth Constitution, ss 71, 75, 76, 77 Freedom of Information Act 1989 (NSW), s 53 Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW), ss 3, 4, 9,12-15, 41(1), 51, 51A, 54, 57, 58, 59(1)(d), 59(1)(e), 60(1)(b), 60(3), 64-71, 72, 80, 84(1), 100, 102, 106(1), 110-112, 127; Pts 2, 4, 5; Sch 1 cl 1, 2, 4, 5; Sch 4 cl 10 Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW), s 31 Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth), s 39 Ombudsman Act 1974 (NSW), ss 26(2)(d1), 26A Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW), ss 8-14, 16-18, 20(2)(a), 21, 29, 30, 31, 32, 38, 39, 49, 50, 52, 53, 55, 63, 66, 69; Pts 3, 4 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) ss 48, 69 Cases Cited: Abebe v Commonwealth of Australia (1999) 197 CLR 510; [1999] HCA 14 Albarran v Members of the Companies Auditors and Liquidators Disciplinary Board (2007) 231 CLR 350; [2007] HCA 23 Alexander v Minister for Home Affairs (2022) 96 ALJR 560; [2022] HCA 19 Attorney General for New South Wales v Gatsby (2018) 99 NSWLR 1; [2018] NSWCA 254 Attorney-General (Cth) v Alinta Ltd (2008) 233 CLR 542; [2008] HCA 2 Attorney-General (Cth) v Breckler (1999) 197 CLR 83; [1999] HCA 28 Attorney-General (NSW) v Quin (1990) 170 CLR 1; [1990] HCA 21 Attorney-General for State of South Australia v Raschke (2019) 133 SASR 215; [2019] SASCFC 83 Australian Communications and Media Authority v Today FM (Sydney) Pty Ltd (2015) 255 CLR 352; [2015] HCA 7 Bell Lawyers Pty Ltd v Pentelow (2019) 269 CLR 333; [2019] HCA 29 Bienstein v Attorney-General [2010] FCAFC 45 Brandy v Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (1995) 183 CLR 245; [1995] HCA 10 Breen v Williams (1996) 186 CLR 71; [1996] HCA 57 Burns v Corbett (2017) 96 NSWLR 247; [2017] NSWCA 3 Burns v Corbett (2018) 265 CLR 304; [2018] HCA 15 Byrne v Australian Airlines Ltd (1995) 185 CLR 410; [1995] HCA 24 Citta Hobart Pty Ltd v Cawthorn (2022) 96 ALJR 476; [2022] HCA 16 Cominos v Cominos (1972) 127 CLR 588, [1972] HCA 54 Federal Commissioner of Taxation v Munro (1926) 38 CLR 153; [1926] HCA 58 Huddart, Parker & Co Pty Ltd v Moorehead (1909) 8 CLR 330; [1909] HCA 36 Kable v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) (1996) 189 CLR 51; [1996] HCA 24 Kaldas v Barbour (2017) 107 NSWLR 341; [2017] NSWCA 275 K-Generation Pty Ltd v Liquor Licensing Court (2009) 237 CLR 501; [2009] HCA 4 KP v Narrandera Shire Council (GD) [2011] NSWADTAP 15 Luton v Lessels (2002) 210 CLR 333; [2002] HCA 13 New South Wales v Commonwealth (1915) 20 CLR 54; [1915] HCA 17 Patsalis v New South Wales (2012) 81 NSWLR 742; [2012] NSWCA 307 Precision Data Holdings Ltd v Wills (1991) 173 CLR 167; [1991] HCA 58 R v Davison (1954) 90 CLR 353, [1954] HCA 46 R v Quinn; Ex parte Consolidated Food Corporation (1977) 138 CLR 1; [1977] HCA 62 Re Colina; Ex parte Torney (1999) 200 CLR 386; [1999] HCA 57 Re Cram; Ex parte Newcastle Wallsend Coal Co Pty Ltd (1987) 163 CLR 140, [1987] HCA 29 Roy Morgan Research Centre Pty Ltd v Commissioner of State Revenue (2001) 207 CLR 72; [2001] HCA 49 Searle v McGregor (2022) 405 ALR 556; [2022] NSWCA 213 Shi v Migration Agents Registration Authority (2008) 235 CLR 286; [2008] HCA 31 Stack v Commissioner of Patents (1999) 161 ALR 531; [1999] FCA 148 Unions NSW v New South Wales (2023) 97 ALJR 150; [2023] HCA 4 Vice Chancellor Macquarie University v FM (No 2) (GD) [2004] NSWADTAP 37 White v Director of Military Prosecutions (2007) 231 CLR 570; [2007] HCA 29 Wojciechowska v Commissioner of Police [2022] NSWCATAD 70 Wojciechowska v Secretary, Department of Communities and Justice [2021] NSWCATAD 298 Texts Cited: James Stellios, Zines and Stellios's The High Court and the Constitution (7th edition, Federation Press, 2022) James Edelman, McGregor on Damages (21st edition, Sweet & Maxwell, 2021) Category: Principal judgment Parties: 2022/295461