State of New South Wales v Wheatley [2018] NSWSC 178

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: State of New South Wales v Wheatley [2018] NSWSC 178 Hearing dates: 13 February 2018 Date of orders: 23 February 2018 Decision date: 23 February 2018 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Adamson J Decision: See paragraph [118] Catchwords: STATUTORY INTERPRETATION – Election Funding, Expenditure and Disclosures Act 1981 (NSW) – construction of exemption for candidate's self-funding own election campaign – whether permissible for party which has endorsed candidate to accept candidate's funds within the exemption or whether such funds are political donation

STATUTORY INTERPRETATION – Election Funding, Expenditure and Disclosures Act 1981 (NSW) – whether monies paid by candidates to party account can be recovered by Electoral Commission as a debt due

DECLARATORY RELIEF – suitability where claim for debt – wording and breadth of declarations considered Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) s 100 Crown Proceedings Act 1988 (NSW) ss 3, 4 Election and Lobbying Legislation Amendment (Electoral Commission) Act 2014 (NSW) Election Funding and Disclosures Amendment Act 2010 (NSW) Election Funding, Expenditure and Disclosures Act 1981 (NSW) ss 4, 4A, 21A, 22, 23, 40, 41, 44, 45, 46, 61, 84, 85, 87, 88, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95AA, 95A, 95B, 95E, 95F, 95G, 95H, 95I, 95J, 96, 96A, 96B, 96HA, 96J Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW) s 33 Parliamentary Electorates and Elections Act 1912 (NSW) s 21A Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) r 42.1 Cases Cited: Ashby v Slipper (2014) 219 FCR 322; [2014] FCAFC 15 Bass v Permanent Trustee Company Limited (1999) 198 CLR 334; [1999] HCA 9 Beckwith v The Queen (1976) 135 CLR 569; [1976] HCA 55 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336; [1938] HCA 34 Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia v Queensland Rail (2015) 256 CLR 171; [2015] HCA 11 Crimmins v Stevedoring Industry Finance Committee (1999) 200 CLR 1; [1999] HCA 59 Graham Barclay Oysters Pty Limited v Ryan (2002) 211 CLR 540; [2002] HCA 54 McCloy v State of New South Wales (2015) 257 CLR 178; [2015] HCA 34 Morley v Australian Securities Investment Commission [2010] NSWCA 331; 81 ACSR 285 Pavey & Matthews Pty Ltd v Paul (1987) 162 CLR 221; [1987] HCA 5 Pyrenees Shire Council v Day (1998) 192 CLR 330 [1998] HCA 3 Stevens v Kabushiki Kaisha Sony Computer Entertainment (2005) 224 CLR 193; [2005] HCA 58 Unions NSW v State of New South Wales (2013) 252 CLR 530; [2013] HCA 58 Waugh v Kippen (1986) 160 CLR 156; [1986] HCA 12 Category: Principal judgment Parties: State of New South Wales (Plaintiff) Peter Wheatley (First Defendant) Liberal Party of Australia New South Wales Division (ABN 68 324 857 904) (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: NJ Williams SC/JS Emmett (Plaintiff) A Moses SC/S Duggan (Defendants)