Regina (C'Wealth) v Baladjam & Ors [No 39] [2008] NSWSC 1459

Reported Decision : 77 NSWLR 648

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Regina (C'Wealth) v Baladjam & Ors [No 39] [2008] NSWSC 1459

HEARING DATE(S) : 07/08/08

JUDGMENT DATE : 26 August 2008

JURISDICTION : Criminal

JUDGMENT OF : Whealy J at 1

DECISION : I decline to order that the warrants in Exhibit "A" be quashed. Secondly, the Notice of Motion of 4 July 2008 be dismissed.

CATCHWORDS : CRIMINAL LAW - Search Warrants - Requirements for validity of search warrants - The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 (ASIO Act) - Validity of warrants issued by ASIO - Failure to specify offence or offences - Failure to specify the precise nature of the security matter the subject of the warrants - Whether ASIO warrants are invalid.

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 ss 17, 18, 25 and 25A LEGISLATION CITED : Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) Search Warrant Act 1985

Carbone v National Crime Authority (1994) 52 FCR 516 at 521 Entick V Carrington (176) 2 Wils. KB 275 George v Rockett (1990) 170 CLR 104 at 110 Hart v Commissioner of Australian Federal Police (2002) 124 FCR 384 at (64) Ibbotson v Chaney (1998) 19 WAR 404 MacGibbon v Warner (1997) 98 A Crim R 450 at 453 per Priestley JA CASES CITED : New South Wales v Corbett [2007] 230 CLR 606, 630 (at 95) per Callinan and Crennan JJ Ousley v The Queen 192 CLR 69 at 111 per McHugh J Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 335 at 381 R v Baladjam [No 24] 11 June 2008 R v RIC Ex Parter Rossminister Trimboli v Onley [No 1] (1981) 56 FLR 304 per Powell J Way Out West Adult Shop Pty Ltd v Kraus [2008] NSWSC at para 25