Metropolitan Petar v Mitreski [2003] NSWSC 1007

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Metropolitan Petar v Mitreski [2003] NSWSC 1007 HEARING DATE(S) : 16/10/03, 31/10/03 JUDGMENT DATE : 5 November 2003 JURISDICTION: Equity Division JUDGMENT OF : Barrett J DECISION : Notice of motion dismissed

CATCHWORDS : PROCEDURE - interlocutory orders - application by defendant for interlocutory order compelling plaintiff to act - whether claim maintainable in absence of cross-claim - CHURCHES AND RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS - claim by owner of land subject to charitable trust for religious purposes of particular church to compel bishop to authorise installation of ecclesiastical article and to appoint priest - whether claim justiciable on basis of spiritual obligations of bishop to flock - whether claim justiciable on basis of duty of church hierarchy to uphold charitable trust - whether bishop amenable to control of court as in case of advowson Australian Broadcasting Corporation v Lenah Game Meats Pty Ltd (2001) 208 CLR 199 Bailey v The Uniting Church in Australia [1984] 1 QdR 42 Brereton v Milstein [1988] VR 509 Brimaud v Honeysett Instant Print Pty Ltd (unreported, NSWSC, 19 September 1988) Cameron v Hogan (1934) 51 CLR 358 CASES CITED : Metropolitan Petar v Mitreski [2003] NSWSC 262 Mirehouse v Rennell (1832) 8 Bing 490 Notley v Bishop of Birmingham (1930) 99 LJCh 305 Notley v Bishop of Birmingham (No 2) [1931] 1 Ch 529 Radmanovic v Nedeljkovic (2001) 52 NSWLR 641 Rolloswin Investments Ltd v Chromolit Portugal Cutelarias e Produtos Metalicos SARL [1970] 1 WLR 912 Wylde v Attorney-General for New South Wales (1948) 78 CLR 224 His Grace Metropolitan Petar, the Diocesan Bishop of the Macedonian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand (P1) The Very Reverend FatherMitko Mitrev (P2) Lambe Mitreski (D1) Pero Damceski (D2) PARTIES : Boris Minovski (D3) Eftim Eftimov (D4) Mile Marcevski (D5) Macedonian Orthodox Community Church St Petka Incorporated (D6) Naum Despotvski (D8) Attorney-General for State of New South Wales (D9) FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 3369/97 Mr B A J Coles QC/Mr T G R Parker/Mr R E Steele (P1 & 2) COUNSEL : Mr G O Blake SC (D1-6 & 8) Ms N L Sharp (D9) Sachs Gerace Lawyers (P1 & 2) SOLICITORS : McConnell Jaffray (D1-6 & 8) I V Knight (D9)