Sturt and Anor v the Right Reverend Dr Brian Farran, Bishop of Newcastle and Ors [2012] NSWSC 400

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Sturt and Anor v the Right Reverend Dr Brian Farran, Bishop of Newcastle and Ors [2012] NSWSC 400 Hearing dates: 23, 24, 25 May 2011, 4, 5, 6, 7 October 2011 Decision date: 27 April 2012 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Sackar J Decision: See paragraph 428 Catchwords: VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION - justiciability - contract of employment - domestic tribunal - procedural review - abuse of process - permanent stay - bias - right against self incrimination - reputation - oppression and unfairness - absolute privilege Legislation Cited: Anglican Church of Australia Act 1961 (NSW) Anglican Church of Australia Act 1976 (NSW) Anglican Church of Australia Constitution Act 1902 (NSW) Church of England Constitutions Act 1902 (NSW) Church of England in Australia Act 1961 (NSW) Commercial Arbitration Act 2010 (NSW) Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1901 Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) Defamation Act 2005 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) Cases Cited: Agricultural and Rural Finance Pty Ltd v Gardiner (2008) 238 CLR 570 Ainsworth v Criminal Justice Commission (1992) 175 CLR 564 Aktas v Westpac Banking Corporation (2010) 241 CLR 79 Attorney-General (N.S.W.) v Grant (1976) 135 CLR 587 Baker v Gough [1963] NSWR 1345 Bashford v Information Australia (Newsletters) Pty Ltd (2004) 218 CLR 366 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Buttes Gas and Oil Co v Hammer [1982] AC 888 Cameron v Hogan (1934) 51 CLR 358 Carter v The New South Wales Netball Association [2004] NSWSC 737 Chase Oyster Bar Pty Ltd v Hamo Industries Pty Ltd [2010] NSWCA 190 Cheng v Pharmacy Board of New South Wales [2005] NSWSC 1130 Clarke v Earl of Dunraven (The Satanita) [1897] AC 59 Cubillo v Commonwealth (No 2) (2000) 103 FCR 1 Davies v Presbyterian Church of Wales [1986] 1 WLR 323 Dixon v Holden (1868-69) LR 7 Eq 488 Dolan v Australian and Overseas Telecommunications Corporation [1993] 42 FCR 206 Dr SS v Health Care Complaints Commission [2002] NSWCA 391 Ermogenous v Greek Orthodox Community of SA Inc (2002) 209 CLR 95 Forbes v Eden (1867) LR 1 HL 568 G v Medical Board of the Australian Capital Territory [1994] ACTSC 42 Gibbons v Duffell (1932) 47 CLR 520 Glebe Administration Board v Commissioner of Pay-roll Tax (NSW) (1987) 10 NSWLR 352 H v Andrews [2006] SASC 392 Hollis v Vabu Pty Ltd (2001) 207 CLR 21 Jago v District Court (NSW) (1989) 168 CLR 23 JGE v English Province of Our Lady of Charity [2011] EWHC 2871 (QB) Kuwait Airways Corp v Iraqi Airways Co (No.6) [2002] UKHL19 Lamb v Munster (1882) 10 QBD 110 Lincoln v Daniels [1962] 1 QB 237 Macqueen v Frackelton (1909) 8 CLR 673 Maloney v NSW National Coursing Assn Ltd (No 2) [1978] 1 NSWLR 161 Mann v O'Neill (1997) 191 CLR 204 Micallef v Donnelly [2002] FCA 221 Michael Wilson & Partners Ltd v Nicholls [2011] HCA 48 Minister for Aboriginal Affairs v Peko-Wallsend Ltd (1986) 162 CLR 24 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Jia Legeng (2001) 205 CLR 507 Morley v Australian Securities and Investments Commission [2010] NSWCA 331 Newcombe v Medical Board (SA) [2007] 96 SASR 564 NSW Bar Association v Muirhead [1988] 14 NSWLR 173 Pappas v New World Oil Developments Pty Ltd [1993] 43 FCR 594 Pyneboard v Trade Practices Commission (1983) 152 CLR 328 Qantas Airways Ltd v Gubbins (1992) 28 NSWLR 26 R v Australian Stevedoring Industry Board; Ex parte Melbourne Stevedoring Co Pty Ltd (1953) 88 CLR 100 R v McLoughlin; Ex parte Director of Public Prosecutions (Re Cooney) [1988] 31 A Crim R 256 Raguz v Sullivan [2000] 50 NSWLR 236 Rajski v Carson (1988) 15 NSWLR 84 Re Veron; Ex parte Law Society (NSW) [1966] 1 NSWR 511 Redeemer Baptist School Ltd v Glossop [2006] NSWSC 1201 Reid v Howard (1995) 184 CLR 1 Rogers v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (2003) 216 CLR 327 Scandrett v Dowling (1992) 27 NSWLR 483 Sorby v The Commonwealth (1983) 152 CLR 281 Stephens v Stephens [2010] FamCA 184 Stevens v Brodribb Sawmilling Co Pty Ltd (1986) 160 CLR 16 Trivett v Nivison [1976] 1 NSWLR 312 Union Steamship Co of Australia Pty Ltd v King (1988) 166 CLR 1 Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (NSW) v Vincent (1994) BC9402935 Uren v John Fairfax & Sons Pty Ltd (1966) 117 CLR 118 Vakauta v Kelly (1989) 167 CLR 568 Walton v Gardiner (1993) 177 CLR 378 Weissensteiner v The Queen (1993) 178 CLR 217 Whitehorn v The Queen (1983) 152 CLR 657 Wylde v Attorney-General (NSW) (Ex rel Ashelford) (1948) 78 CLR 224 Texts Cited: Robert C. Post 'The Social Foundations of Defamation Law: Reputation and the Constitution,' 74 California Law Review 691 (1986). Spencer Bower, 'Law of Actionable Defamation (2nd ed, 1923) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Graeme Leslie Sturt - first plaintiff Graeme Russell Lawrence - second plaintiff Brian George Farran - first defendant Colin Alan Elliott - second defendant Trevor Clifton Waring - third defendant Barbara Janice Howard - fourth defendant Michael Ian Elliott - fifth defendant Geoffrey James Spring - sixth defendant Glen Miller Pope - seventh defendant Margaret Joy Payne - eighth defendant Lynne Maree Graham - ninth defendant Dymphna Rees Peterson - tenth defendant Philip John Aspinall (in his capacity as Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia) - eleventh defendant Representation: Counsel: R D Marshall, Ms A Rao - plaintiffs G O Blake SC, WAD Edwards - first to tenth defendants G C Lindsay SC - eleventh defendant Solicitors: Turnbull Hill, lawyers - plaintiffs Makinson & d'Apice, lawyers - first to tenth defendants Toomey Pegg, lawyers - eleventh defendant File Number(s): 2011/6125