Dowling v Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales [2018] NSWCA 340

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Dowling v Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales [2018] NSWCA 340 Hearing dates: 16 November 2018 Date of orders: 21 December 2018 Decision date: 21 December 2018 Before: Basten JA at [1]; Macfarlan JA at [68]; Meagher JA at [139] Decision: (1) To the extent that the appellant requires an extension of time within which to challenge the orders of Beech-Jones J made on 3 February 2017, refuse to extend time. (2) Dismiss the appeal in respect of the appellant's convictions for contempt of court. (3) In place of order (3) made by this Court on 16 November 2018, commit Shane Dowling to prison for 4 months to date from 22 August 2018, expiring on 21 December 2018. Catchwords: CONTEMPT – appeal against conviction and penalty – scandalising conduct in face of court – breach of court suppression orders – whether appellant's conduct constituted exercise of implied constitutional freedom of political communication – whether suppression orders ambiguous or uncertain – whether suppression orders should be set aside – failure to comply with Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 40.7

CONTEMPT – power of committal – whether Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) applied

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW – implied constitutional freedom of political communication – contempt of court – whether appellant's conduct constituted exercise of that freedom – whether laws pursuant to which suppression orders were made incompatible with that freedom Legislation Cited: Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987 (NSW), s 28 Constitution, Ch III Contempt of Court Act 1981 (UK), s 10 Court Suppression and Non-publication Orders Act 2010 (NSW), ss 6, 7(b), 8(1), 10, 16 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), ss 3, 4, 44; Pt 2, Div 1; Pt 3 Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), s 2, 3, 5, 6 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), ss 17, 75A, 101; Sch 3 Supreme Court Rules (NSW), rr 40.6, 40.7 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 40.7 Cases Cited: APLA Ltd v Legal Services Commissioner of New South Wales (2005) 224 CLR 322; [2005] HCA 44 Attorney General (NSW) v Whiley (1993) 31 NSWLR 314 Ayotte v Planned Parenthood of Northern New England 546 US 320 (2006) Berowra Holdings Pty Ltd v Gordon (2006) 225 CLR 364; [2006] HCA 32 Brown v State of Tasmania (2017) 261 CLR 328; [2017] HCA 43 Coleman v Power (2004) 220 CLR 1; [2004] HCA 39 Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Boral Resources (Vic) Pty Ltd (2015) 256 CLR 375; [2015] HCA 21 Costa v The Public Trustee of NSW [2008] NSWCA 223; (2008) 1 ASTLR 56 Dahnke-Walker Milling Co v Bondurant 257 U.S. 282, 289 (1921) Danchevsky v Danchevsky [1975] Fam 17, 21; [1974] 3 All ER 934 Ebner v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy (2000) 205 CLR 337; [2000] HCA 63 Fairfax Digital Australia & New Zealand Pty Ltd v Ibrahim (2012) 83 NSWLR 52; [2012] NSWCCA 125 GKD v Director General, Attorney General's Department [2012] NSWCA 219 Hinch v Attorney-General (Vic) (1987) 164 CLR 15; [1987] HCA 56 Hogan v Hinch (2011) 243 CLR 506; [2011] HCA 4 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 John Fairfax & Sons Pty Ltd v McRae (1955) 93 CLR 351; [1955] HCA 12 John Fairfax & Sons Ltd v Police Tribunal of New South Wales (1986) 5 NSWLR 465 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v Attorney-General (NSW) [2000] NSWCA 198; (2000) 181 ALR 694 John Holland Group Pty Ltd v Industrial Relations Court of NSW [2006] NSWCA 93; (2006) 153 IR 97 Kentwell v The Queen (2014) 252 CLR 601; [2014] HCA 37 Kirk v Industrial Court of New South Wales (2010) 239 CLR 531; [2010] HCA 1 Lange v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1997) 189 CLR 520; [1997] HCA 25 McCloy v State of New South Wales (2015) 257 CLR 178; [2015] HCA 34 McGuirk v University of New South Wales [2010] NSWCA 104 Menzies v Paccar Financial Pty Ltd (2016) 93 NSWLR 88; [2016] NSWCA 280 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v SZVFW [2018] HCA 30; (2018) 92 ALJR 713 Monis v The Queen (2013) 249 CLR 92; [2013] HCA 4 Morris v Crown Office [1970] 2 QB 114 NCR Australia v Credit Connection [2005] NSWSC 1118 North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency Ltd v Northern Territory (2015) 256 CLR 569; [2015] HCA 41 Pang v Bydand Holdings Pty Ltd [2011] NSWCA 69 Parker v Comptroller-General of Customs [2007] NSWCA 348 Peters v Hobby 349 US 331 (1955) Principal Registrar of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Jando (2001) 53 NSWLR 527; [2001] NSWSC 969 Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Dangerfield [2016] NSWCA 277 Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Dowling (No 6) [2018] NSWSC 1715 Re Lonrho plc [1990] 2 AC 154 Re Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs; Ex parte Te (2002) 212 CLR 162; [2002] HCA 48 Rumble v Liverpool Plains Shire Council (2015) 90 NSWLR 506; [2015] NSWCA 125 State of New South Wales v Kable (2013) 252 CLR 118; [2013] HCA 26 The Herald & Weekly Times Ltd v Popovic (2003) 9 VR 1; [2003] VSCA 161 The King v Dunbabin (1935) 53 CLR 434; [1935] HCA 34 The Queen v Hughes (2000) 202 CLR 535; [2000] HCA 22 Theophanous v The Herald & Weekly Times Ltd (1994) 182 CLR 104; [1994] HCA 46 Thomas v Mowbray (2007) 233 CLR 307; [2007] HCA 33 Witham v Holloway (1995) 183 CLR 525; [1995] HCA 3 Wood v Galea (1996) 84 A Crim R 274 Wotton v State of Queensland (2012) 246 CLR 1; [2012] HCA 2 Young v Registrar, Court of Appeal (No 3) (1993) 32 NSWLR 262 Texts Cited: Arlidge, Eady & Smith on Contempt (Sweet & Maxwell, 3rd ed, 2005) C J Miller and D Perry, Miller on Contempt of Court (4th ed, OUP, 2017) Henry J Abraham, The Judicial Process (6th ed, OUP, 1993) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Shane Dowling (Appellant) Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Self-represented Appellant D Kell SC / E Jones (Respondent) M Izzo SC /A Bhasin (Amicus)