Registrar Appointed Under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 v Toomey [2024] NSWLEC 92

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Registrar Appointed Under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 v Toomey [2024] NSWLEC 92 Hearing dates: 17 June 2024 Date of orders: 30 August 2024 Decision date: 30 August 2024 Jurisdiction: Class 4 Before: Pepper J Decision: See orders at [158]. Catchwords: JUDICIAL REVIEW: validity of election to Local Aboriginal Land Council – administrative error resulted in candidate being left off the ballot – councillor elected unopposed – challenge to election result not brought within time – whether Court has discretion to extend time – whether challenge time barred – whether Court has the power to grant the relief sought, including declaring invalid the disputed return – whether Court should exercise its discretion and grant the relief sought – materiality of inadvertent administrative error – application dismissed. STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION: construction of time limitation within which to challenge election results – whether provision to be construed as affording the Court a discretion to extend time – whether any other provision permits Court to extend time – neither text, context nor purpose supports a construction affording the Court a discretion to extend time to bring challenge. Legislation Cited: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission Act 1989 (Cth), Sch 4, cl 3A Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983, ss 4, 27AC, 121, 122, 124, 125, 126, 127 Aboriginal Land Rights Regulation 2020, cll 21 55, 56, 58, 60, 61, 65, 80 Administrative Decisions Tribunal Act 1997, ss 42, 44 Civil Procedure Act 2005, s 61 Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (Cth), ss 355, 358 Electoral Act 2017, 234, 237 Land and Environment Court Act 1979, ss 16, 20, 22 Land and Environment Court Rules 2007 Local Government Act 1993, ss 285, 329 Local Government (General) Regulation 2021, reg 333E Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005, r 59.10 Cases Cited: Australian Electoral Commission v Lalara (1994) 53 FCR 156 Bradbery v Hay [2011] NSWSC 623 Bruce v Magee trading as Armstrong Legal [2017] NSWSC 1687 Burnum Burnum v Electoral Commissioner of New South Wales [1993] NSWCA 44 Cachia v Colaco [2003] NSWLEC 364; (2003) 132 LGERA 62 Cameron v Fysh [1904] HCA 49; (1904) 1 CLR 314 Carroll v Ingram (Land and Environment Court, Pearlman J, 13 June 1996) Cheung v Administrative Decisions Tribunal of New South Wales [2000] NSWSC 1062; (2000) 111 LGERA 353 Dodd v Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council [1999] NSWLEC 263; (1999) 106 LGERA 189 Fels v Davies [2009] WASC 138 Gilmore Finance Pty Ltd v Aesthete No 3 Pty Ltd [2020] NSWCA 114 Greylag Goose Leasing 1410 Designated Activity Company v PT Garuda Indonesia Ltd [2023] NSWCA 134; (2023) 111 NSWLR 550 Griffen v Griffith (Land and Environment Court of NSW, Pearlman J, 25 March 1997) Hansen v Australian Electoral Commission [2000] FCA 606 Hansen v Electoral Commissioner for New South Wales [2004] NSWSC 348; (2004) 132 LGERA 296 Laurie v New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council [2010] NSWCA 199; (2010) 175 LGERA 247 Laurie v New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council; New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Laurie [2009] NSWLEC 58; (2009) 166 LGERA 157 Lester v Ellis (Land and Environment Court of NSW, Pearlman J, 21 October 1996) LPDT v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2024] HCA 12; (2024) 98 ALJR 610 Miller v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs [2024] HCA 13; (2024) 98 ALJR 623 Mundine v Forestry Corporation of NSW [2024] NSWLEC 70 Neilson v Secretary, Department of Planning and Environment [2024] NSWCA 28 Nile v Wood [1988] HCA 30; (1988) 167 CLR 133 NSW Electoral Commissioner v Kempsey Shire Council (No 2) [2002] NSWSC 282; (2022) 251 LGERA 158 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority [1998] HCA 28; (1998) 194 CLR 355 Robertson v Australian Electoral Commission [1993] HCA 50; (1993) 67 ALJR 818 Roger John Brandy v E I Dickson, Electoral Commissioner of New South Wales (Land and Environment Court, Pearlman J, 23 March 1994) Rudolphy v Lightfoot [1999] HCA 61; (1999) 197 CLR 500 SZTAL v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2017] HCA 34; (2017) 262 CLR 362 Veenstra v Department of Customer Service [2023] NSWLEC 99 Whitby v Garlett [2000] FCA 245; (2000) 98 FCR 585 Texts Cited: G E Dal Pont, Law of Limitations (2nd ed, 2021, LexisNexis) G Orr, The Law of Politics (2nd ed, 2019, Federation Press) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Registrar Appointed Under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (Applicant) Grace Toomey (First Respondent) Electoral Commissioner for NSW (Second Respondent) Representation: Counsel: J Davidson with B Green (Applicant) A Kaufman (First Respondent) Submitting appearance (Second Respondent)