Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police v Mazzco Investments Pty Ltd & Ors. (No 3) [2023] NSWSC 1576

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police v Mazzco Investments Pty Ltd & Ors. (No 3) [2023] NSWSC 1576 Hearing dates: 27 November 2023 Date of orders: 15 December 2023 Decision date: 15 December 2023 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Chen J Decision: See [155] Catchwords: STATUTORY INTERPRETATION – principles of statutory interpretation – s 202 production order powers under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth) – where Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police obtained material from third parties relying upon s 202 after commencement of proceedings – whether the exercise of power in s 202 is permitted following commencement of proceedings CONSTITUTIONAL LAW – persona designata – where Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth) confers non-judicial powers on magistrates acting persona designata – whether commencement of proceedings in a different court transforms the exercise of a non-judicial power to an incidental exercise of judicial power – whether constitutional invalidity arises Legislation Cited: Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) Australian Industries Preservation Act 1906 (Cth) Constitution Criminal Code 1995 (Cth) Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth) Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) Cases Cited: Bitannia Pty Ltd v Parkline Constructions Pty Ltd (2006) 67 NSWLR 9; [2006] NSWCA 238 Brambles Holdings Ltd v Trade Practices Commission (1980) 44 FLR 182; [1980] FCA 148 Commissioner of Australian Federal Police v Mah (2014) 242 A Crim R 184; [2014] VSC 262 Commissioner of State Revenue v EHL Burgess Properties Pty Ltd (2015) 209 LGERA 314; [2015] VSCA 269 Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police v Hart (2018) 262 CLR 76; [2018] HCA 1 Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police v Zhang (2016) 312 FLR 17; [2016] VSCA 171 Cooper Brookes (Wollongong) Pty Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1981) 147 CLR 297; [1981] HCA 26 Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) v Kamal (2011) 248 FLR 64; [2011] WASCA 55 Grollo v Palmer (1995) 184 CLR 348; [1995] HCA 26 Hilton v Wells (1985) 157 CLR 57; [1985] HCA 16 Huddart, Parker & Co Pty Ltd v Moorehead (1909) 8 CLR 330; [1909] HCA 36 Lacey v Attorney-General (Qld) (2011) 242 CLR 573; [2011] HCA 10 Lee v Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) (2009) 75 NSWLR 581; [2009] NSWCA 347 Lee v New South Wales Crime Commission (2013) 251 CLR 196; [2013] HCA 39 Lordianto v Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police (2018) 100 NSWLR 630; [2018] NSWCA 199 Mai v Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police (2020) 350 FLR 392; [2020] VSCA 38 Melbourne Steamship Co Ltd v Moorehead (1912) 15 CLR 333; [1912] HCA 69 Pioneer Concrete (Vic) Pty Ltd v Trade Practices Commission (1982) 152 CLR 460; [1982] HCA 65 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355; [1998] HCA 28 Saad v Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police (2021) 361 FLR 261; [2021] VSCA 246 Thiess v Collector of Customs (2014) 250 CLR 664; [2014] HCA 12 Turner v George Weston Foods Ltd (2007) 4 DDCR 571; [2007] NSWCA 67 Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Australian Federal Police (plaintiff) Despina Katherine Mavris (fourth defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr L Livingston SC with Mr R Perla (plaintiff) Mr A McInerney SC with Mr K Josifoski (fourth defendant)