Hoxton Park Residents Action Group Inc v Liverpool City Council [2016] NSWCA 157

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Hoxton Park Residents Action Group Inc v Liverpool City Council [2016] NSWCA 157 Hearing dates: 2 February 2016 Decision date: 05 July 2016 Before: Beazley P at [1]; Basten JA at [235]; Macfarlan JA at [295] Decision: Appeal dismissed with costs. Catchwords: CONSTITUTIONAL LAW – Commonwealth grants of financial assistance to the States – Commonwealth of Australia Constitution, s 96 – whether impermissible for Commonwealth to provide funding in respect of objects outside areas of legislative competence – Commonwealth may provide funding outside areas of federal legislative competence subject to any relevant constitutional provision to the contrary

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW – Commonwealth funding of non-government schools, including religious schools – Commonwealth of Australia Constitution, s 116 – whether legislation establishing funding regime, or funding itself, impermissible as contrary to s 116 – whether funding Acts laws for establishing religion, imposing religious observance or prohibiting the free exercise of religion – importance of legislative purpose

STANDING – challenge to Commonwealth grants of financial assistance pursuant to Commonwealth of Australia Constitution, s 96 – whether plaintiffs have standing to challenge validity of Commonwealth laws and executive acts relating to funding of non-government school – whether standing limited to existing funding arrangements Legislation Cited: Australian Education Act 2013 (Cth), ss 3, 4, 6, 15, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 31, 71, 75, 77, 78; Pt 6 Australian Education Regulation 2013, ss 10, 41, 42, 43, 61 Constitution, ss 51, 80, 87, 92, 96, 116, 117, 122 Schools Assistance Act 2008 (Cth), ss 118, 119, 120; Pt 9, Div 3 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 75A Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 13.4, 50.16, 51.36 Cases Cited: Adelaide Company of Jehovah's Witnesses Incorporated v Commonwealth [1943] HCA 12; 67 CLR 116 Agostini v Felton 521 US 203 (1997) Alphapharm Pty Ltd v SmithKline Beecham (Aust) Pty Ltd (1994) 49 FCR 250 AMS v AIF [1999] HCA 26; 199 CLR 160 Attorney-General (Vic); Ex rel Black v Commonwealth [1981] HCA 2; 146 CLR 559 Attorney-General for New South Wales v Brewery Employees Union of New South Wales [1908] HCA 94; 6 CLR 469 Bank of NSW v Commonwealth [1948] HCA 7; 76 CLR 1 Cheedy on behalf of the Yindjibarndi People v State of Western Australia [2010] FCA 690 Cheng v R [2000] HCA 53; 203 CLR 248 Church of the New Faith v Commissioner of Pay-Roll Tax (Vic) [1983] HCA 40; 154 CLR 120 Clunies-Ross v Commonwealth [1984] HCA 65; 155 CLR 193 Cole v Whitfield [1988] HCA 18; 165 CLR 360 Davis v The Commonwealth (1988) 166 CLR 79 Doherty v Liverpool District Hospital (1991) 22 NSWLR 284 at 294 Everson v Board of Education of Ewing Tp 330 US 1 (1947) Fox v Percy [2003] HCA 22; 214 CLR 118 Georgiadis v Australian & Overseas Telecommunications Corporation [1994] HCA 6; 179 CLR 297 Great Wall Resources Pty Ltd v O'Sullivan [2009] NSWCA 119 Hoxton Park Residents Action Group Inc v Liverpool City Council (No 2) [2011] NSWCA 363; 256 FLR 156 Hoxton Park Residents Action Group Inc v Liverpool City Council [2015] NSWSC 136 ICM Agriculture Pty Ltd v The Commonwealth [2009] HCA 51; 240 CLR 140 Insurance Australia Ltd v Checchia [2010] NSWCA 193 JT International SA v Commonwealth [2012] HCA 43; 250 CLR 1 Kruger v Commonwealth [1997] HCA 27; 190 CLR 1 Krygger v Williams [1912] HCA 65; 15 CLR 366 Lange v Australian Broadcasting Corporation [1997] HCA 25; 189 CLR 520 Leeth v Commonwealth [1992] HCA 29; 174 CLR 455 Lemon v Kurtzman 403 US 602 (1971) Mitchell v Helms 530 US 793 (2000) Mutual Pools & Staff Pty Ltd v Commonwealth [1994] HCA 9; 179 CLR 155 New South Wales v The Commonwealth [2006] HCA 52; 229 CLR 1 P J Magennis Pty Ltd v Commonwealth [1949] HCA 66; 80 CLR 382 Plaintiff M68-2015 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2016] HCA 1 Pape v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (2009) 238 CLR 1; [2009] HCA 23 R v Winneke; Ex parte Gallagher [1982] HCA 77; 152 CLR 211 Radnedge v Government Insurance Office of New South Wales (1987) 9 NSWLR 235 Re McBain; Ex parte Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (2002) 209 CLR 372; [2002] HCA 16 Reynolds v United States 98 US 145 (1878 Right to Life Association (NSW) Inc v Secretary, Department of Human Services and Health (1995) 56 FCR 50 Smith v ANL Ltd [2000] HCA 58; 204 CLR 493 Street v Queensland Bar Association [1989] HCA 53; 168 CLR 461 Teori Tau v The Commonwealth (1969) 119 CLR 564 Victoria v Commonwealth [1957] HCA 54; 99 CLR 575 Wurridjal v The Commonwealth (2009) 237 CLR 309; [2009] HCA 2 Williams v Commonwealth of Australia [2012] HCA 23; 248 CLR 156 Zelman v Simmons-Harris 536 U.S. 639 (2002) Texts Cited: J Quick and RR Garran, The Annotated Constitution of the Australian Commonwealth (1901 ed, Legal Books, Sydney, 1976)