Coleman v Liberal Party of Australia, New South Wales Division (No 2) [2007] NSWSC 736

Reported Decision : 212 FLR 271

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Coleman v Liberal Party of Australia, New South Wales Division (No 2) [2007] NSWSC 736

HEARING DATE(S) : 27 June 2007

JUDGMENT DATE : 6 July 2007

JURISDICTION : Equity Division

JUDGMENT OF : Palmer J

EX TEMPORE JUDGMENT DATE : 27 June 2007

DECISION : Declarations as sought.

CATCHWORDS : VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATIONS – POLITICAL PARTIES – Dispute as to election of appointees to Selection Committee - construction of Party's Constitution – justiciability of disputes – whether discretion to grant declaratory relief should be exercised. - WORDS – Meaning of "by" considered. - HELD – Dispute justiciable - relief should be granted.

LEGISLATION CITED : - Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 – Pt XI, Pt XX, s.169B - Parliamentary Electorates and Elections Act 1912 (NSW) – Pt 4A

- Australian Football League v Carlton Football Club Ltd [1998] 2 VR 546 - Baldwin v Everingham [1993] 1 Qd R 10 - Buckley v Tutty (1971) 125 CLR 353 - Burston v Oldfield [2003] NSWSC 88 - Cameron v Hogan (1934) 51 CLR 358 - Clarke v Australian Labor Party (SA Branch) (1999) 74 SASR 109 - Coleman v Liberal Party of Australia (NSW Division) [2007] NSWSC 655 - Daley v Newnham [2005] VSC 303 - Edgar & Walker v Meade (1916) 23 CLR 29 - Energy Resources of Australia Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (2003) 52 ATR 120 CASES CITED : - Flynn v University of Sydney [1971] 1 NSWLR 857 - Galt v Flegg [2003] QSC 290 - Grogan v McKinnon [1973] 2 NSWLR 290 - McKinnon v Grogan [1974] 1 NSWLR 295 - McLean v McKinlay [2004] WASC 2 - Makin v Gallagher [1974] 2 NSWLR 559 - Nilant v Macchia (2000) 104 FCR 238 - Scandrett v Dowling (Women's Ordination case) (1992) 27 NSWLR 483 - Sharples v O'Shea (unrep. 18 August 1999, QSC, Atkinson J) - Thornley v Heffernan (unrep., NSWSC 25 July 1995, Brownie J) - Tucker v Macdonald [2001] QSC 296 - Zietsch, ex parte; re Craig (1944) 44 SR(NSW) 360