R v Moutiaa Elzahed (No 2) [2018] NSWLC 13

Local Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Moutiaa Elzahed (No 2) [2018] NSWLC 13 Hearing dates: 19 - 21 February 2018 Decision date: 04 May 2018 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Magistrate Huntsman Decision: The legislation (section 200A of the District Court Act 1973 (NSW)) is valid and the offences are proved beyond reasonable doubt. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – Particular offences – Miscellaneous offences and matters – Disrespectful behaviour in court - meaning of disrespectful behaviour in court - whether failure to stand for Judge in District Court proceedings is disrespectful behaviour in court according to established court practice and convention - freedom of political communication implied by Commonwealth Constitution - whether effectively burdened - if the freedom is burdened, whether law valid - whether law invalid pursuant to Chapter III of the Commonwealth Constitution - whether law inconsistent and invalid pursuant to section 109 of the Commonwealth Constitution Legislation Cited: Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act ss 75(iii), 109 District Court Act 1973 (NSW) s 200A Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) ss 39(1), 39(2), 75B, 79(1) Cases Cited: APLA Ltd v Legal Services Commissioner (NSW) [2005] HCA 44; (2005) 224 CLR 322 Brown v Tasmania [2017] HCA 43; (2017) 91 ALJR 1089 Burns v Corbett & Ors [2018] HCA 15 Coleman v Power [2004] HCA 39 Dickson v R (2010) 241 CLR 491 Fardon v Attorney-General (Qld) [2004] HCA 46 Gypsy Jokers Motorcycle Club Inc v Commissioner of Police [2008] HCA 4; (2008) 234 CLR 532 Hogan v Hinch [2011] HCA 4 Kable v DPP (NSW) (1996) 189 CLR 51 Lange v Australian Broadcasting Corporation [1997] HCA 25 Levy v the State of Victoria and Ors (1997) 189 CLR 579 McCloy v New South Wales [2015] HCA 34; (2015) 257 CLR 178 Monis v R [2011] NSWCCA 231 Monis v R (2013) 249 CLR 92 O'Hair v Wright [1971] SAS R 436 Rizeq v Western Australia [2017] HCA 23 Theophanous v Herald & Weekly Times Ltd [1994] HCA 46; (1994) 182 CLR 104 Wotton v State of Queensland [2012] HCA 2 Category: Principal judgment Parties: NSW Director of Public Prosecutions (prosecutor) Moutiaa Elzahed (defendant) Representation: Counsel: D Kell SC with A Mitchelmore (for the prosecution) D Hulme (for the defendant)