JOHN FAIRFAX PUBLICATIONS PTY LIMITED v THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE STATE OF NEW SOUTH WALES [2000] NSWCA 198

Reported Decision : [2000] 181 ALR 694 [2000] 158 FLR 81

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : JOHN FAIRFAX PUBLICATIONS PTY LIMITED v THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE STATE OF NEW SOUTH WALES [2000] NSWCA 198 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40875/99 HEARING DATE(S) : 13 December 1999 JUDGMENT DATE : 2 August 2000

(Claimant) John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd PARTIES : (Opponent) The Attorney General for the State of New South Wales JUDGMENT OF : Spigelman CJ at 1; Priestley JA at 135; Meagher JA at 163

COUNSEL : (Claimant) S Rares SC, M A Wigney (Opponent) M G Sexton SC SOLICITORS : (Claimant) Freehill Hollingdale & Page (Opponent) I V Knight CATCHWORDS : CONSTITUTIONAL LAW - incompatibility with Chapter III of Commonwealth Constitution - manner of performance of function not incompatible - in camera proceedings, Supreme Court Act 1970 s101A - CONSTITUTIONAL LAW - freedom of communication on matters of government and politics - in camera proceedings, Supreme Court Act 1970 s101A Courts Legislation Amendment Act 1996 LEGISLATION CITED : Crimes (Amendment) Act 1951 Criminal Appeal Act 1912 Supreme Court Act 1970 Attorney-General (NSW) v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd and Bacon (1985) 6 NSWLR 695 Attorney General (NSW) v John Fairfax Publications Pty Limited [1999] NSWSC 318 Attorney General (NSW) v Time Magazine (NSW Court of Appeal, 15 September 1994, unreported) Attorney General's Reference (No 1 of 1974) [1974] 1 QB 744 Attorney General's Reference (No 1 of 1983) [1983] 2 VR 410 Broken Hill Proprietary Company Ltd v Dagi [1996] 2 VR 117 Bruce v Cole (1998) 45 NSWLR 163 Chu Kheng Lim v Minister for Immigration (1992) 176 CLR 1 Civil Aviation Authority v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1995) 39 NSWLR 540 Commodity Futures Trading Commission v Scher (1986) 478 US 833 Coulter v The Queen (1987-1988) 164 CLR 350 Daubney v Cooper (1829) 109 ER 438 Davis v The Commonwealth (1988) 166 CLR 79 Dickason v Dickason (1913) 17 CLR 50 Director of Public Prosecutions Reference No 2 of 1996 [1998] 3 VR 241 Esso Australia Resources v Dawson (1999) 87 FCR 588 Ex parte Bread Manufacturers Ltd; Re Truth and Sportsman Ltd (1937) 37 SR (NSW) 242 Felman v Law Institute of Victoria [1998] 4 VR 324 Grollo v Palmer (1995) 184 CLR 348 H A Bachrach Pty Limited v Queensland (1998) 195 CLR 547 Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd v Lovell (1998) 19 WAR 316 Harris v Caladine (1990-1991) 172 CLR 84 Hilton v Wells (1985) 157 CLR 57 Hinch v Attorney-General for the State of Victoria (1987) 184 CLR 15 James v Cowan (1929-1930) 43 CLR 386 John Fairfax v Doe (1995) 37 NSWLR John Pfeiffer Pty Ltd v Rogerson [2000] HCA 36 Kable v The Director of Public Prosecutions for the State of New South Wales (1996) 189 CLR 501 Lange v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1997) 189 CLR 520 CASES CITED: Levy v Victoria (1996-1997) 189 CLR 579 Lloyd v Snooks [1999] TASSC 1117 McPherson v McPherson [1936] AC 177 Mann v O'Neill (1996-1997) 191 CLR 204 Mellifont v Attornney General (Qld) (1991) 173 CLR 289 Mistretta v United States (1989) 488 US 361 Nationwide News v Wills (1991-1992) 177 CLR 1 Nicholas v The Queen (1998) 193 CLR 173 Ogden Industries v Lucas [1970] AC 113 Polyukhovick v The Commonwealth (1991) 172 CLR 501 R v Cheng [1999] NSWCCA 373 R v Moffatt [1998] 2 VR 229 R v Nicholls (1911) 12 CLR 280 R v Snow (1915) 20 CLR 315 R v Tait (1979) 46 FLR 386 R v Wynbyne (1997) 99 A Crim R 1 Re Colina; Ex parte Torney (1999) 73 ALJR 1576 Re Nolan; Ex parte Young (1991) 172 CLR 460 Registrar of the Court of Appeal v Willesee (1985) 3 NSWLR 650 Richmond Newspapers Inc v Virginia (1980) 448 US 555 Rohde v Director of Public Prosecutions (1986) 161 CLR 119 Russell v Russell (1976) 134 CLR 495 Scott v Scott [1913] AC 417 Stephens v West Australian Newspapers Ltd (1993-1994) 182 CLR 211 The Queen v Humby; Ex Parte Rooney (1973) 129 CLR 231 Theophanous v Herald and Weekly Times Ltd (1993-1994) 182 CLR 104 Thompson v Mastertouch TV Service Pty Ltd (No 3) (1978) 38 FLR 397 Victoria v Australian Building Construction Employees' and Builders Labourers' Federation (1982) 152 CLR 25 Wilson v Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs (1996) 189 CLR 1 Witham v Holloway (1995) 183 CLR 525 DECISION : Declare that each of subs (7) and (8)(a) of s101A of the Supreme Court Act 1970 is invalid; Declare that subs (9) of s101A of the Supreme Court Act 1970 is invalid insofar as it applies to a publication in contravention of subs (8)(a); Order the Opponent to pay the Claimant's costs