Commissioner of NSW Police v Murphy [2024] NSWCA 311

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Commissioner of NSW Police v Murphy [2024] NSWCA 311 Hearing dates: 8 November 2024 Date of orders: 20 December 2024 Decision date: 20 December 2024 Before: Payne JA at [1]; McHugh JA at [2]; Basten AJA at [138] Decision: (1) Grant leave to appeal and direct the appellant to file a notice of appeal within seven days. (2) Appeal allowed. (3) Orders 1 and 2 made by Hamill J on 23 May 2024 be set aside. (4) In lieu thereof: (a) set aside the order of Olischlager LCM made on 22 August 2023 in matter number 2021/00306721; (b) declare that the apprehended domestic violence order made against the first respondent on 12 July 2022 expired on 11 January 2023; (c) make no order as to costs of the proceedings in the Common Law Division. (5) Grant a certificate under the Suitors' Fund Act 1951 (NSW) to the first respondent. (6) There otherwise be no order as to the costs of the proceedings in this Court. Catchwords: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW — judicial review — application to Local Court to revoke apprehended domestic violence order (ADVO) — where application brought before order expired — where extension of ADVO sought to enable it to be revoked — where Local Court allowed both applications — where Supreme Court dismissed summons seeking judicial review. STATUTORY INTERPRETATION — improper purpose — whether purported extension of ADVO for improper purpose where not for purpose of protecting a person — whether purported revocation of order for improper purpose where for purpose of disengaging prohibition in s 11(5)(c) of the Firearms Act 1996 (NSW) — Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007 (NSW), s 73. COSTS — appeals — whether proceeding seeking judicial review a "proceeding in the nature of an appeal" — Suitors' Fund Act 1951 (NSW), s 6. Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), Part 15A, ss 61, 562F Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 (NSW), s 56 Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), s 5B Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007 (NSW), ss 3, 9, 10, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 36, 48, 72, 73, 78, 79A, 79B, 84, 104 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), s 10 Firearms Act 1996 (NSW), ss 4, 11, 39 Firearms Act 1989 (NSW) ss 25 Suitors' Fund Act 1952 (NSW), s 6 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), ss 69, 75 Firearms Regulation 2017 (NSW), reg (5)(1) Firearms Regulation 1990 (NSW), reg 21(1) Cases Cited: Anthony Hordern & Sons Ltd v Amalgamated Clothing & Allied Trades Union of Australia (1932) 47 CLR 1; [1932] HCA 9 Attorney General v Sillem (1864) 10 HL Cas 704 at 724 Batistatos v Roads and Traffic Authority (NSW) (2006) 226 CLR 256; [2006] HCA 27 Bindaree Beef Pty Ltd v Riley (2013) 85 NSWLR 350; [2013] NSWCA 305 Buck v Bavone (1976) 135 CLR 110 at 118-119; [1976] HCA 24 Commissioner of Corrective Services v Government and Related Employees Appeal Tribunal (No 2) [2004] NSWCA 337 Enfield City Corporation v Development Assessment Commission (2000) 199 CLR 135; [2000] HCA 5 Ex parte Neville; Re Suitors' Fund Act 1951-1960 [1965] 2 NSWR 481; (1966) 85 WN(Pt 1)(NSW) 372 Ex parte Parsons; Re Suitors' Fund Act (1952) 69 WN(NSW) 380 Henderson v QBE Insurance (Australia) Ltd [2013] NSWCA 480 Johnson v Johnson (2000) 201 CLR 488; [2000] HCA 48 Majumdar v Director of Public Prosecutions [2024] NSWCA 117 Mills v Mills (1938) 60 CLR 150 at 186; [1938] HCA 4 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Eshetu (1999) 197 CLR 611 Mir Brothers Developments Pty Ltd v Atlantic Constructions Pty Ltd (1985) 1 NSWLR 491 New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation v Quinn (No 2) [2017] NSWCA 34 Production Spray Painting & Panel Beating Pty Ltd v Newnham (1991) 27 NSWLR 644 Re Oscar [2002] NSWSC 887 Robinson v Zhang [2005] NSWCA 439 Thompson v Randwick Municipal Council (1950) 81 CLR 87; [1950] HCA 33 Walton v Gardiner (1993) 177 CLR 378; [1993] HCA 77 Wass v Director of Public Prosecutions (2023) 111 NSWLR 210; [2023] NSWCA 71 Whitehouse v Carlton Hotel Pty Ltd (1987) 162 CLR 285 at 294; [1987] HCA 11 Williams v Spautz (1992) 174 CLR 509; [1992] HCA 34 Texts Cited: New South Wales Legislative Assembly, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 26 March 1992 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Commissioner of NSW Police (Applicant) Peter Michael Murphy (First Respondent) Local Court of New South Wales (Second Respondent) Representation: Counsel: P Herzfeld SC and D Reynolds (Applicant) N Simpson (First Respondent)