Norrie v NSW Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages [2013] NSWCA 145

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Norrie v NSW Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages [2013] NSWCA 145 Hearing dates: 12 November 2012 Decision date: 31 May 2013 Before: Beazley ACJ at [1]; Sackville AJA at [208]; Preston CJ of LEC at [281] Decision: 1. Appeal allowed;

2. Order 2 of the Appeal Panel be set aside;

3. In lieu thereof:

(a) Set aside the decision of the Tribunal dated 13 May 2011;

(b) Order the matter be remitted to the Tribunal for determination;

(c) Order the respondent pay the appellant's costs of the appeal. Catchwords: INTERPRETATION - Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1995, s 32DC - whether the Registrar's power under s 32DC to register change of a person's "sex" is limited to registering a change from male to female or female to male.

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW - jurisdiction, Administrative Decisions Tribunal Act 1997, s 119(1) - whether question of law.

INTERPRETATION - extrinsic material - whether regard could be had to second reading speeches, dictionary definitions, academic material and other Acts.

EVIDENCE - proof - judicial notice - whether regard could be had to extrinsic material in the interpretation of the statute. Legislation Cited: Administrative Decisions Tribunal Act 1997 Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1995 Child Protection (Offenders Registration) Act 2000 Children's Services Regulation 2004 Combat Sports Regulation 2009 Conveyancing Act 1919 Court Security Act 2005 Courts and Crimes Legislation Amendment Act 2008 Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Regulation 2008 Crimes (Forensic Procedures) Act 2000 Crimes Act 1900 Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) Defence Forces Retirement Benefits Act 1948 (Cth) Evidence Act 1995 Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) Gender Reassignment Act 2000 (WA) Higher Education Funding Act 1998 (Cth) Industrial Relations Act 1996 International Criminal Court Act 2002 (Cth) Interpretation Act 1987 Landlord and Tenant (Amendment) Act 1948 Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 Marriage Act 1961 (Cth) Maternity Leave (Commonwealth Employees) Act 1973 (Cth) Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) Succession Act 2006 Superannuation Act 1922 (Cth) Terrorism (Police Powers) Act 2002 Transgender (Anti-Discrimination and Other Acts Amendment) Act 1996 Transport Employees Retirement Benefits Act 1967 Cases Cited: AB v Western Australia [2011] HCA 42; 244 CLR 390 Aktiebolaget Hassle v Alphapharm Pty Ltd [2002] HCA 59; 212 CLR 411 Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenue [2009] HCA 41; 239 CLR 27 Attorney-General (Cth) v Kevin [2003] FamCA 94; 172 FLR 300 Australian Communist Party v Commonwealth [1951] HCA 5; 83 CLR 1 Australian Education Union v Department of Education and Children's Services [2012] HCA 3; 86 ALJR 217 Australian Gas Light Co v Valuer-General (1940) 40 SR (NSW) 126 Aytugrul v The Queen [2012] HCA 15; 86 ALJR 474 Baini v The Queen [2012] HCA 59; 87 ALJR 180 Brown v Repatriation Commission (1985) 7 FCR 302 Certain Lloyd's Underwriters Subscribing to Contract No IH00AAQS v Cross [2012] HCA 56; 87 ALJR 131 Cody v J H Nelson Pty Ltd [1947] HCA 17; 74 CLR 629 Coleman v DPP [2000] NSWSC 275; 49 NSWLR 371 Collector of Customs v Agfa Gevaert Ltd [1996] HCA 36; 186 CLR 389 Collector of Customs v Pozzolanic Enterprises Pty Ltd [1993] FCA 322; 43 FCR 280 Cooper Brooker (Wollongong) Pty Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation [1981] HCA 26; 147 CLR 297 Corbett v Corbett [1971] P 83 Craig Williamson Pty Ltd v Barrowcliff [1915] VLR 450 Deputy Commissioner of Taxation v Clark [2003] NSWCA 91; 57 NSWLR 113 Gattellaro v Westpac Banking Corporation [2004] HCA 6; 78 ALJR 394 Gerhardy v Brown [1985] HCA 11; 159 CLR 70 Gibb v Federal Commissioner of Taxation [1966] HCA 74; 118 CLR 628 Harrison v Melhem [2008] NSWCA 67; 72 NSWLR 380 Holland v Jones [1917] HCA 26; 23 CLR 149 Hope v Bathurst City Council [1980] HCA 16; 144 CLR 1 In the marriage of C and D (falsely called C) [1979] FLC 90-636; 35 FLR 340 Industry Research and Development Board v Bridgestone Australia Ltd [2001] FCA 954; 109 FCR 564 IW v City of Perth [1997] HCA 30; 191 CLR 1 Kevin v Attorney-General (Cth) [2001] FamCA 1074; 165 FLR 404 Kostas v HIA Insurance Services Pty Ltd [2010] HCA 32; 241 CLR 390 Maunsell v Olins [1975] AC 373 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs v SZAYW [2005] FCAFC 154; 145 FCR 523 Monis v The Queen [2013] HCA 4, 87 ALJR 340 Moyna v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2003] 1 WLR 1929 Norrie v Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages [2011] NSWADT 102 Oceanic Life Ltd v Chief Commissioner of Stamp Duties [1999] NSWCA 416; 168 ALR 211 OV v Members of The Board of Wesley Mission Council [2010] NSWCA 155; 79 NSWLR 606 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority [1998] HCA 28; 194 CLR 355 R v Gee [2003] HCA 12; 212 CLR 230 R v Harris & McGuiness (1988) 17 NSWLR 158 R v Henry [1999] NSWCCA 111; 46 NSWLR 346 R v Lavender [2005] HCA 37; 222 CLR 67 R v Peters (1886) 16 QBD 636 Re Secretary, Department of Social Security and "HH" [1991] AATA 94; 23 ALD 58 Registrar of Titles (WA) v Franzon [1975] HCA 41; 132 CLR 611 Roadshow Films Pty Ltd v iiNet Ltd [2012] HCA 16; 86 ALJR 494 Screen Australia v EME Productions No 1 [2012] FCAFC 19; 200 FCR 282 Secretary, Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs v Mouratidis [2012] FCAFC 29 Secretary, Department of Social Security v "SRA" [1993] FCA 573; 43 FCR 299 Thomas v Mowbray [2007] HCA 33; 233 CLR 307 Timbury v Coffee [1941] HCA 22; 66 CLR 277 Victims Compensation Fund v Brown [2003] HCA 54; 77 ALJR 1797 Victorian Women Lawyers' Association Inc v Federal Commissioner of Taxation [2008] FCA 983, 170 FCR 318 Waters v Public Transport Corporation [1991] HCA 49; 173 CLR 349 Western Australia v AH [2010] WASCA 172; 41 WAR 431 Woods v Multi-Sport Holdings Pty Ltd [2002] HCA 9; 208 CLR 460 Texts Cited: Australian Law Reform Commission, Evidence, ALRC 26 (Interim) Vol 1 (1985) D C Pearce & R S Geddes, Statutory Interpretation in Australia, 7th ed (2011) LexisNexis Butterworths D K Smith, "Transsexualism, Sex Reassignment Surgery, and the Law" (1971) 56 Cornell Law Review 963 J A Greenberg, Intersexuality and the Law: Why Sex Matters (2012) New York University Press J D Heydon, "Developing the Common Law", in Gleeson, J T and Higgins, R C A (eds) Constituting Law, Legal Argument and Social Values (2011) Federation Press J L Taitz, "Confronting Transsexualism, Sexual Identity and the Criminal Law" (1992) 60 Medico-Legal Journal 60 M Aronson, B Dyer and M Groves, Judicial Review of Administrative Action (2009) Lawbook Co M D Kirby, "Medical Technology and New Frontiers of Family Law" (1986-87) 1 Australian Journal of Family Law 196 Macquarie Dictionary, 4th ed (2005) R Wilson, "Life and Law: The Impact of Human Rights on Experimenting with Life", (1985) 17(3) Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences 61 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Norrie (Appellant) NSW Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: D M J Bennett QC; A J Abadee (Appellant) K M Richardson (Respondent)