The Principle of Legality as Protection for Human Rights

X7 v Australian Crime Commission (‘X7’) (2013) 248 CLR92.

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (‘ICCPR’) Art 14(1); Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic) (‘CHRR Vic’) s 8(1); Human Rights Act 2004 (ACT) (‘HR Act’) s 8(1).

ICCPR Art 14(1); CHRR (Vic) s 24; HR Act s 21 (1).

ICCPR Art 14(2); CHRR (Vic) s 25(1); HR Act s 22(1).

ICCPR Art 14(3)(a); CHRR (Vic) s 25(2) (a);HR Act s 22(2)(a).

ICCPR Art 14(3)(b); CHRR (Vic) s 25(2) (b);HR Act s 22(2)(b).

ICCPR Art 14(3)(c); CHRR (Vic) s 25(2) (c); HR Act s 22(2)(c).

ICCPR Art 14(3)(d); CHRR (Vic) s 25(2) (d),(e) and (f); HR Act s 22(2)(d), (e) and (f).

ICCPR Art 14(3)(e); CHRR (Vic) s 25(2) (g) and (h); HR Act s 22(2)(g).

ICCPR Art 14(3)(f); CHRR (Vic) s 25(2)(i); HR Act s 22(2)(h).

ICCPR Art 14(3)(g); CHRR (Vic) s 25(2)(k); HR Act s 22(2)(i).

ICCPR Art 14(5); CHRR (Vic) s 25(4); HR Act s 22(4).

For example: International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (‘ICCPR’) Art 4(1); this right appears with similar effect in European Convention on Human Rights (‘ECHR’) Art 14; New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 (‘NZBR’) s 19(1); Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (‘CCRF’) Art 15(1).

To be incorporated into domestic law, the treaty must be given legislative effect; Victoria v The Commonwealth (Industrial Relations Act Case) (1996) 187 CLR 416 at 480–482.

CHRR (Vic) s 32; HR Act s 30.

Momcilovic v The Queen (2011) 245 CLR (‘Momcilovic’) at 90 [159] (Gummow J).

Bannon v The Queen (1995) 185 CLR 1 at 15 ( Deane J ).

X7 at [47] ( French CJ Crennan J ); [102] ( Hayne Bell JJ ). Kiefel J Note agreed with Hayne Bell JJ , at [157].

(1980) 66 ALJR 5 at 7

Momcilovic at [44] ( French CJ ).

X7 at [102] ( Hayne Bell JJ ).

X7 at [105], [106]–[109] ( Hayne Bell JJ ).

X7 at [119] ( Hayne Bell JJ ).

X7 at [101] ( Hayne Bell JJ ).

Ibid.

X7 at [110] ( Hayne Bell JJ ).

X7 at [124]–[125] ( Hayne Bell JJ ).

Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) s 17(2); X7 at [116] ( Hayne Bell JJ ).

Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) s 20(2); X7 at [116] ( Hayne Bell JJ ).

X7 at [101] ( Hayne Bell JJ ).

Hamilton v Oades (1989) 166 CLR 486

X7 at [124]–[125] ( Hayne Bell JJ ), However, see discussion of Lee below.

X7 at [40] ( French CJ Crennan J ).

X7 at [41] ( French CJ Crennan J ).

Re Major Crime Act (2009) 24 VR 415 at [41] to [49].

X7 at [42] ( French CJ Crennan J ).

See discussion of constitutional protections of human rights in, Gleeson Murray , ‘Legality – Spirit and Principle – The Second Magna Carta Lecture’ (Speech delivered at NSW Parliament House, Sydney, 20 November 2003) footnotes 30 to 36.

Kable v Director of Public Prosecution (1996) 189 CLR 51; North Australia Legal Aid v Bradley (2004) 218 CLR 146 (‘Bradley’) at 163 [28] to [30] ( McHugh Gummow Kirby Hayne Callinan Heydon JJ .)

Bradley at 163 [30] ( McHugh Gummow Kirby Hayne Callinan Heydon JJ .

Chu Kheng Lim v Minister for Immigration (1992) 176 CLR 1 (‘ Lim Chu Kheng ’) at 27 ( Brennan Deane Dawson JJ ).

Forge v Australian Securities and Investments Commission (2006) 228 CLR 45 at 76 [45]. In the federal courts context see Lim Chu Kheng at 27 ( Brennan Deane Dawson JJ ).

Leeth v Commonwealth (1992) 174 CLR 455 at 470 ( Mason CJ Dawson McHugh JJ ); International Finance Trust Company Ltd v New South Wales Crime Commission (2009) 240 CLR 319 (‘IFTC’) at [54]–[56] ( French CJ ).

Hammond v The Commonwealth (1982) 152 CLR 188 (‘ Hammond ’) at 196 ( Gibbs CJ ), at 199 ( Mason J ), 199 ( Murphy J ).

Jago v District Court (NSW) (1989) 168 CLR 23 at 29 ( Mason CJ ), 56 ( Deane J ), 72 ( Toohey J ), 75 ( Gaudron J ).

Parliament's ability to effectively remove these powers may have been impinged by the recent approaches to statutory interpretation. Thomas v Mowbray (2007) 233 CLR 307 at [55] ( Gummow Crennan JJ ); IFTC at [79] ( Gummow Bell JJ ), [127] ( Hayne Crennan Kiefel JJ ).

Victoria v Australian Building Construction Employees' and Builders Labourers' Federation (1982) 152 CLR 25 at 164 ( Brennan J ).

Hammond at 196 ( Gibbs CJ ), see agreement at 199 ( Mason J ), 199 ( Murphy J ).

Dietrich v The Queen (1992) 177 CLR 292.

Momcilovic at [381] ( Heydon J ).

Australian Education Union v Fair Work Australia (2012) 246 CLR 117 at 314–5 [30] ( French CJ Crennan Kiefel JJ ) and Australian Crime Commission v Stoddart (2011) 244 CLR 554 at [182] ( Crennan Kiefel Bell JJ ).

Momcilovic at [43] ( French CJ ).

Lodhi v The Queen (2006) 199 FLR 303 at [31] to [34].

Australian Education Union v Fair Work Australia (2012) 246 CLR 117 at 314–5 [30] ( French CJ Crennan Kiefel JJ ).

Gleeson , above n 37.

Momcilovic at [45] ( French CJ ).

(2013) 248 CLR 459.

Australian Crime Commission Act 2002 s 25A(9), set out in X7 at [11] ( French CJ Crennan J ).

Director of Public Prosecutions v Keating [2013] HCA 20 (‘Keating’) at [47] (The Court).

Keating at [48]–[49] (The Court).

Keating at [49] (The Court).

Keating at [41] (The Court).

Keating at [48] (The Court).

Lee v New South Wales Crime Commission (2013) 251 CLR 196 (‘ Lee ’).

Lee at [55]–[56] ( French CJ ); [144] ( Crennan J ); [331]–[333] ( Gageler Keane JJ ).

Lee at [313] ( Gageler Keane JJ ).

Lee at [49] ( French CJ ); [151] ( Crennan J ); [335] and [340] ( Gageler Keane JJ ).

Momcilovic at [45] ( French CJ ).

New South Wales, Parliamentary Debates, House of Assembly, 13 March 2013, 85 (Greg Smith, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice).