Motor Traders Association of New South Wales v Commissioner for Fair Trading [2005] NSWSC 1132

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Motor Traders Association of New South Wales v Commissioner for Fair Trading [2005] NSWSC 1132

HEARING DATE(S) : 21 July 2005

JUDGMENT DATE : 9 November 2005

JURISDICTION : Equity

JUDGMENT OF : Associate Justice McLaughlin at 1

DECISION : 1. I order that the proceedings be dismissed. 2. I order that the Plaintiff pay the costs of the Defendant of the notice of motion filed by the Defendant on 6 May 2005 and of the proceedings.

CATCHWORDS : Practice and procedure. - Locus standi. - Whether Plaintiff has sufficient interest in subject matter of proceedings. - Interest must be such as to warrant the grant of the relief claimed. - Declaratory relief. - Will not be granted in respect only to a hypothetical question. - Distinction between such declaratory relief and an advisory opinion.

Motor Dealers Act 1974 (NSW) LEGISLATION CITED : Motor Dealers Regulation 2004 (NSW)

Ainsworth v Criminal Justice Commission (1992) 175 CLR 564 Anderson v The Commonwealth (1932) 47 CLR 50 Australian Conservation Foundation v The Commonwealth (1980) 146 CLR 493 Bass v Permanent Trustee Company Limited (1999) 198 CLR 334 Bateman's Bay Local Aboriginal Land Council v The Aboriginal Community Benefit Fund Pty Limited (1998) 194 CLR 247 Boyce v Paddington Borough Council [1903] 1 Ch 109 Forster v Jododex Australia Pty Limited (1972) 127 CLR 421 Galaxy Communications Pty Limited v Paramount Films of Australia Inc [1998] NSWSC 48 Gouriet v Union of Post Office Workers [1978] AC 435 CASES CITED : In re Judiciary and Navigation Acts (1921) 29 CLR 257 London Passenger Transport Board v Moscrop [1942] AC 345 Onus v Alcoa of Australia Limited (1981) 149 CLR 27 Rediffusion (Hong Kong) Limited v Attorney General [1970] AC 1136 Russian Commercial and Industrial Bank v British Bank for Foreign Trade Limited [1921] AC 438 Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association v The Minister for Industrial Affairs (SA) 183 CLR 552 Truth About Motorways Pty Limited v Macquarie Infrastructure Investment Management Limited (2000) 200 CLR 591 University of New South Wales v Moorhouse (1975) 133 CLR 1 Windsor Refrigerator Co Limited v Branch Nominees Limited [1961] Ch 375