Commonwealth v Coe [2002] NSWSC 94

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Commonwealth v Coe [2002] NSWSC 94 FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 13261/00 HEARING DATE(S) : 2-3/8/2001 JUDGMENT DATE : 26 February 2002

PARTIES : Commonwealth of Australia Ms Isabel Coe as representative of persons collectively terming themselves members of the "Aboriginal Tent Embassy", which shall include Robert Corowa, Tom Doolan, Borrawang Ingram, Carol Mungo, Bud Smith, Greg Jones, Mark Taylor, Nyandi Williams and Gilliwar Murray, being those persons formerly on Cockatoo Island. JUDGMENT OF : Dowd J at 1

COUNSEL : Mr R.J Burbidge QC/Mr P.T Taylor- Plaintiff Mr A Oshlack by Leave- Defendant SOLICITORS : Australian Government Solicitor- Plaintiff CATCHWORDS : Summary judgment application - Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to deal with matter under the Australian Constitution - Treaty - Aboriginal sovereignty Cockatoo Island Dockyard Agreement Act 1933 Judiciary Act 1903 LEGISLATION CITED : Real Property Act 1900 Shipping Act 1923 (Cth) Supreme Court Rules Bluett v Fadden 1956 SR NSW 254. Bodney v Western Australia Pty Ltd [2000] FCA 1609. Coe v Commonwealth (1979) 24 ALR 118. Coe v Commonwealth of Australia (1993) 68 ALJR 110. CASES CITED : Coe v Commonwealth of Australia [2001] NSWCA 36. Ex parte Findlayson (1997) 72 ALJR 73. Fejo v Northern Territory (1998) 195 CLR 96. Mabo v Queensland (No 2) (1991-1992) 175 CLR 1. Patel v WH Smith (Esiot) Ltd (1987) 1 WLR 853. Singh v Varinder Kaur (1985) 65 ALJR 720. DECISION : 1. Defendant's Notices of Motion dismissed; 2. Cross-action struck out; 3. Judgment for the Plaintiff; and 4. Injunction granted.