Judgment Template - Judgments - Federal Court of Australia

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Chapman v Luminis Pty Ltd (No 5) [2001] FCA 1106

Aboriginals - Heritage protection - declaration made preventing
construction works to protect a significant Aboriginal area - declaration
set aside on judicial review - whether civil liability attaches to the
Minister and a reporter in respect of failures to comply with procedural
requirements imposed by statute - requirements of a valid application for
protection - discussion of meaning of Aboriginal tradition - Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 (Cth) ss 3, 9, 10, 28

Aboriginals - Heritage protection - declaration of significant Aboriginal
area - Aboriginal tradition - requirement of antiquity of beliefs - whether
beliefs held by only one person sufficient to constitute an Aboriginal
tradition - whether use and treatment of an area in a manner inconsistent
with traditional beliefs held by only one or a small number of Aboriginals
can constitute injury or desecration - whether purpose of an application
for protection may be ascertained from a series of written and oral
communications with the Minister

Trade Practices - Misleading and deceptive conduct - report prepared by
anthropologist for incorporation into a representation to the Minister -
report prepared by a reporter under s 10 of the Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 (Cth) - anthropologist and
reporter each engaged under a contract for the supply of consultancy
services - reporter supplying services to the Commonwealth - whether
representations conveyed by the reports constitute conduct in trade or
commerce - whether representations misleading or deceptive - whether an
assignee can sue for damage suffered by the assignor by misleading or
deceptive conduct of the respondent - whether proceedings brought within
three years of the accrual of the cause of action - time when the cause of
action accrues - whether time limit can be extended

Tort - Negligence - exercise by a public official of discretionary power
arising under statute - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage
Protection Act 1984 (Cth) - declaration to protect a significant Aboriginal
area - whether a common law duty of care owed by the respositories of power
to those likely to suffer economic loss by the making of the declaration -
whether the Minister and a reporter exercise powers and functions of a
legislative or quasi-legislative nature - whether conduct alleged to be in
breach of duty established - whether damage caused by the negligent acts
alleged

Tort - Statutory duty - breach of statutory duty - elements - whether
applicants within the class of person for whose protection or benefit the
statute provides - whether the statute evidences an intention to create a
ground of civil liability

Tort - Misfeasance in public office - elements - invalid exercise of powers
conferred by the statute - whether respondents knew that they were acting
beyond power or were recklessly indifferent as to whether they were so
acting - whether respondents acted in bad faith

Acquisition of land - whether acquisition of property from a person
otherwise than on just terms - whether declaration for protection of a
significant Aboriginal area which prevented the construction of a bridge
constituted an acquisition of property - declaration set aside on judicial
review - whether an acquisition occurred - whether sterilisation of
contractual rights affected by the declaration confers an identifiable and
measurable advantage upon the Commonwealth or another relating to the
ownership or use of property


Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 (Cth) ss
3, 7, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 22, 23, 27, 28
Aboriginal Heritage Act 1988 (SA) ss 7, 13, 23, 24, 35
Planning Act 1982 (SA) ss 40, 50, 51
Real Property Act 1886 (SA)
Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) ss 4, 6, 52, 53, 75B, 82
Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 (Cth)
Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) ss 39B, 79
Hindmarsh Island Bridge Act 1997 (Cth)
Fair Trading Act 1987 (SA) ss 55(i), 56, 84
Fair Trading Act 1985 (Vic) ss 11, 37
The Constitution, Ch III, ss 51(xxxi), 51(xxvi)
Fair Trading Act 1987 (NSW) ss 4, 42
Corporations Law s 477
Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) ss 50, 59(2B)
Limitation of Actions Act 1936 (SA) ss 38A, 48
Limitation of Actions Act 1958 (Vic) s 34
Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) s 130
Royal Commissions Act 1917 (SA) ss 5, 6, 7, 8, 9


Federal Court Rules O6 r 2, O13 r 2, O 34A


Chapman v Luminis Pty Ltd (1998) 86 FCR 513 referred to
Chapman v Tickner (1995) 55 FCR 316 referred to
Tickner v Chapman (1995) 57 FCR 451 referred to
Wilson v Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs (1997)
189 CLR 1 referred to
Kartinyeri v The Commonwealth of Australia (1998) 195 CLR 337 referred to
Concrete Constructions (NSW) Pty Ltd v Nelson (1990) 169 CLR 594 applied
Prestia v Aknar (1996) 40 NSWLR 165 cited
The Queen v The Judges of the Australian Industrial Court; Ex parte CLM
Holdings Pty Ltd (1977) 136 CLR 235 applied
Bond Corporation Pty Ltd v Thiess Contractors Pty Ltd (1987) 14 FCR 215
distinguished
Durant v Greiner (1990) 21 NSWLR 119 distinguished
Unilan Holdings Pty Ltd v Kerin (1992) 35 FCR 272 applied
Giraffe World Australia Pty Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer
Commission (1999) ATPR 41 - 669 applied
Robin Pty Ltd v Canberra International Airport Pty Ltd (1999) ATPR 41 - 710
applied
Brown v Riverstone Meat Co Pty Ltd (1985) 60 ALR 595 distinguished
Merman Pty Ltd v Cockburn Cement Ltd 1988 84 ALR 521 distinguished
Pacific Cole Pty Ltd v Idemitsu Queensland Pty Ltd (1992) ATPR 46 - 094
distinguished
Plimer v Roberts (1997) 80 FCR 303 applied
Parkdale Custom Built Furniture Pty Ltd v Puxu Pty Ltd (1982) 149 CLR 191
cited
Bowler v Hilda Pty Ltd (1998) ATPR 41 - 625 cited
Global Sportsman Pty Ltd v Mirror Newspapers Ltd (1984) 55 ALR 25 cited
James v ANZ Banking Group Ltd (1986) 64 ALR 347 cited
Tobacco Institute of Australia Ltd v Australian Federation of Consumer
Organisations Inc (1992) 38 FCR 1 cited
Park v Allied Mortgage Corporation Ltd (1993) ATPR 46 - 105 cited
Allstate Life Insurance Co v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd
(Fed C, Beaumont J, 7 November 1994, unreported) cited
National Mutual Property Services (Australia) Pty Ltd v Citibank Savings
Ltd (1995) 132 ALR 514 considered
Brookfield v Davey Products Pty Ltd (Fed C, Branson J, 8 February 1996,
unreported) cited
Pritchard v Racecage Pty Ltd (1997) 72 FCR 203 followed
Trendtex Trading Corporation v Credit Suisse [1982] AC 679 considered
Weldon v Neal (1887) 19 QBD 394 cited
Zoneff v Elcom Credit Union Ltd (1990) ATPR 41 - 058 cited
Wardley Australia Ltd v The State of Western Australia (1992) 175 CLR 514
distinguished
Commonwealth of Australia v International Air Aid Pty Ltd (Fed C, Neaves J,
2 September 1994, unreported) cited
Liff v Peasley (1980) 1 WLR 781 cited
Brook v The Flinders University of South Australia (1987) 47 SASR 119 cited
John Robertson & Co Ltd v Ferguson Transformers Pty Ltd (1973) 129 CLR 65
cited
Vink v Schering Pty Ltd (1991) ATPR 41 - 073 distinguished
Pyrenees Shire Council v Day (1998) 192 CLR 330 distinguished
Perre v Apand Pty Ltd (1999) 198 CLR 180 referred to
Crimmins v Stevedoring Industry Finance Committee (1999) 200 CLR 1
distinguished
Calveley v Chief Constable of Merseyside [1989] 1 AC 1228 cited
Hill v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire [1989] 1 AC 53 cited
Elguzouli-Daf v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis [1995] QB 335
cited
Minister for Primary Industries and Energy v Austral Fisheries Pty Ltd
(1993) 40 FCR 381 considered
Bienke v Minister for Primary Industries and Energy (1995) 63 FCR 567 cited
Anns v Merton London Borough Council [1978] AC 728 cited
Sutherland Shire Council v Heyman (1985) 157 CLR 424 distinguished
Armidale City Council v Alec Finlayson Pty Ltd [1999] FCA 330 (Full Court -
unreported) cited
Romeo v Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory (1998) 192 CLR
431 cited
Graham Barclay Oysters Pty Ltd v Ryan (2000) 102 FCR 307 distinguished
Caparo Industries Plc v Dickman [1990] 2 AC 605 cited
Hill v Van Erp (1997) 188 CLR 159 considered
Caledonian Collieries Ltd v Speirs (1957) 97 CLR 202 distinguished
Tickner v Bropho (1993) 40 FCR 183 considered
The Commonwealth v Tasmania (1983) 158 CLR 1 cited
The Queen v Kirby; Ex parte Boilermaker's Society of Australia (1956) 94
CLR 254 cited
Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Jia [2001] HCA 17
cited
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs v Peko-Wallsend Ltd (1986) 162 CLR 24
applied
The Commonwealth v Grunseit (1943) 67 CLR 58 cited
Minister for Industry and Commerce v Tooheys Ltd (1982) 42 ALR 260 cited
Moorgate Tobacco Co Ltd v Philip Morris Ltd (1984) 156 CLR 414 cited
Foster v Mountford & Rigby Ltd (1976) 14 ALR 71 cited
Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs v Western
Australia (1996) 67 FCR 40 considered
Dunlop v Woollahra Municipal Council [1982] AC 158 cited
Kioa v West (1985) 159 CLR 550 cited
Carltona Ltd v Commissioner of Works [1943] 2 All ER 560 cited
FAI Insurances Ltd v Winneke (1982) 151 CLR 342 cited
O'Reilly v The Commissioners of the State Bank of Victoria (1983) 153 CLR 1
cited
Commonwealth of Australia v Yarmirr (2000) 101 FCR 171 cited
Members of the Yorta Yorta Aboriginal Community v State of Victoria [2001]
FCA 45 considered
Hedley Byrne & Co Ltd v Heller & Partners Ltd [1964] AC 465 followed
San Sebastian Pty Ltd v The Minister Administering the Environmental
Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (1986) 162 CLR 340 followed
Tepko Pty Ltd v Water Board (2001) 75 ALJR