R v Obeid (No 2) [2015] NSWSC 1380

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Obeid (No 2) [2015] NSWSC 1380 Hearing dates: 9 and 10 September 2015; further written submissions on 15, 18 and 21 September 2015 Date of orders: 22 September 2015 Decision date: 22 September 2015 Jurisdiction: Common Law - Criminal Before: Beech-Jones J Decision: 1. The Accused's demurrer be overruled.

2. The Accused answer over to the charge against him.

3. The Accused's notice of motion filed 9 September 2015 be otherwise dismissed. Catchwords: CRIME – common law offence of wilful misconduct in public office – accused former Member of Legislative Council of New South Wales ("MLC") – accused alleged to have intervened in negotiations between government department and commercial leaseholders – accused alleged to have undisclosed interest in the leases – accused raises demurrer and applies to quash or stay indictment – public officer – whether MLC is a public officer for purposes of the offence – functions and duties of MLC – whether functions of MLC extend to making representations to employees of the executive – duties owed by MLC – whether MLC has any duty not to use their position to advance their own commercial interests – analogy with fiduciaries – avoidance of conflict between private interests and public duty as MLC – elements of the offence –whether sufficient if alleged offence committed in the course of or connected to the public office – whether R v Quach [2010] VSCA 106; 201 A Crim R 522 clearly wrong and should not be followed – whether evidence available to Crown capable of establishing that the accused "covertly lobbied" an employee of the Executive conducting lease negotiations – whether that of any significance to the validity of the charge – whether evidence capable of establishing that alleged breach of duty was wilful – whether evidence capable of establishing that the alleged breach was sufficiently serious to merit criminal punishment – jurisdiction of Court – whether prosecution inconsistent with parliamentary privilege – s 9 of the Bill of Rights – whether subject matter of prosecution within exclusive cognisance of the Legislative Council – demurrer overruled and notice of motion to quash indictment or stay proceedings dismissed. Legislation Cited: - Australia Act 1986 (Cth) - Bill of Rights – s 9 - Constitution Act 1902 – s 5 - Crimes Prevention Act 1916 – s 3 - Criminal Procedure Act 1986 – s 18, s 20 - Imperial Acts Application Act 1969 – s 6 - Independent Commission against Corruption Act 1988 - Law Reform (Vicarious Liability) Act 1983 – s 8 - Parliamentary Privileges Act 1987 (Cth) – s 16 - Police Integrity Commission Act 1996 Cases Cited: - Armstrong v Budd (1969) 71 SR (NSW) 386 - Attorney-General's Reference (No 3 of 2003), Re [2005] QB 73 - Barton v Taylor (1886) 11 App Cas 197 - Bradlaugh v Gossett (1884) 12 QBD 271 - CAL No 14 Pty Ltd v Motor Accidents Insurance Board [2009] HCA 47; 239 CLR 390 - Christie v Perry [1912] HCA 12; 13 CLR 592 - Criminal Justice Commission v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [1996] 2 Qd R 444 - Crittenden v Anderson (1977) 51 ALJ 171 - Egan v Willis [1998] HCA 71; 195 CLR 424 - Farah Constructions Pty Ltd v Say-Dee Pty Ltd [2007] HCA 22; 230 CLR 89 - Fenton v Hampton (1858) 14 ER 727 - Garcia v National Australia Bank Ltd [1998] HCA 48; 194 CLR 395 - Grassby v R (1991) 55 A Crim R 419 - Harnett v Crick [1908] AC 470 - Henly v The Mayor and Burgesses of Lyme (1828) 5 Bing 91 - HKSAR v Wong Lin Kay (2012) 15 HKCFAR 185 - Horne v Barber [1920] HCA 33; 27 CLR 494 - Kearney, Ex parte [1917] NSWStRp 68; 17 SR (NSW) 578 - Kennon v Spry [2008] HCA 56; 238 CLR 366 - Kielley v Carson (1842) 13 ER 225 - Lange v Australian Broadcasting Corporation [1997] HCA 25; 189 CLR 520 - Leerdam & Anor v Noori & Ors [2009] NSWCA 90 - Northern Territory v Mengel (1995) 187 CLR 307 - Pilmer v Duke Group Ltd [2001] HCA 31; 207 CLR 165 - Question of Law Reserved (No 2) of 1996 (1996) 67 SASR 63 - R v Bembridge (1783) 99 ER 679 - R v Boston [1923] HCA 59; 33 CLR 386 - R v Boulanger [2006] 2 SCR 49 - R v Chapman & Ors; R v Sabey [2015] 2 Cr App R 10 - Regina v Chaytor [2011] 1 AC 684 - R v Glynn (1994) 33 NSWLR 139 - R v Greenway & Others [1998] PL 356 - R v McCann [1998] 2 Qd R 56; 95 A Crim R 308 - R v Murphy (1986) 5 NSWLR 18 - R v Quach [2010] VSCA 106; 201 A Crim R 522 - R v Richards; Ex parte Fitzpatrick and Browne [1955] HCA 36; 92 CLR 157 - R v White (1875) 13 Sup Ct Rep (NSW) (L) 322 - R v White [1998] PL 356 at 360 - R v Whitaker [1914] 3 KB 1283 - Rao & Others v State of India [1999] 3 LRC 297 - Regina v Chaytor [2011] 1 AC 684 - Ridgeway v R [1995] HCA 66; 184 CLR 19 - Rowley v O'Chee [2000] 1 Qd R 207 - Sanders v Snell [1998] HCA 64; 196 CLR 329 - Sin Kam Wah v HKSAR (2005) 8 HKCFAR 192 - Shum Kwok Sher v HKSAR [2002] 5 HKCFAR 381 - Sneddon v State of New South Wales [2012] NSWCA 351 - Szwarcbord v Gallop [2002] ACTSC 28; 167 FLR 262 - Wilkinson v Osborne [1915] HCA 92; 21 CLR 89 - Ex p Wason (1869) L R 4 QB 573 Texts Cited: - Toomey, The Constitution of New South Wales (Federation Press, 1st Ed, 2004) - Meagher, Gummow & Lehane Equity Doctrine & Remedies, 4th Ed, 2002, Butterworths - Dr Paul Finn, Official Misconduct, (1978) 2 Crim LJ 307 - Tina Cockburn & Paul Thomas, Personal liability of public officers in the tort of misfeasance in public office (2001) 9 TLJ 80 - P.D. Finn, Public Officers: Some Personal Liabilities, (1977) 51 ALJ 313 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Regina – Applicant Edward Moses Obeid – Respondent Representation: Counsel: P. Neil SC, Ms S. Beckett – Crown G. Reynolds SC, S.M. Nixon – Respondent