Australian Broadcasting Corporation v Kane (No 2)

• Jurisdiction: Australia Federal only
• Court: Federal Court
• Judge: ABRAHAM J
• Judgment Date: 17 February 2020
• Neutral Citation: [2020] FCA 133
• Date: 17 February 2020

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Australian Broadcasting Corporation v Kane (No 2) [2020] FCA 133

File number:	NSD 989 of 2019
Judge:	ABRAHAM J
Date of judgment:	17 February 2020
Catchwords:	ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – application for judicial review pursuant to s 5 of the Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 (Cth) and relief under s 39B of the Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) regarding the issue of a search warrant under s 3E of the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) (Crimes Act) ; CRIMINAL LAW – practice and procedure – search warrant – where applicant claimed that the warrant was invalid as it did not comply with ss 3E(1), 3E(5)(a) and (c) of the Crimes Act – where the applicant claimed the conditions of the warrant did not meaningfully limit the scope of the search authorised by the warrant – interpretation of s 73A of the Defence Act 1903 (Cth) ; CONSTITUTIONAL LAW – implied freedom of communication on governmental and political matters –where warrant issued pursuant to s 3E of the Crimes Act – where warrant authorised search for certain evidential material at the premises of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation – where validity of underlying offence provisions not challenged – whether the decision to issue this warrant was ultra vires having regard to the implied freedom of political communication ; EVIDENCE – whether witness qualified to express opinion – where the applicant claimed journalist privilege under s 126K of the Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) extends to seizure of material under a search warrant issued under s 3E of the Crimes Act – where applicant claimed privilege in relation to specific documents
Legislation:	Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) ss 13(2)(a), 15AA Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 (Cth) s 5 Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) ss 3(1), 3E, 3E(1), 3E(5)(a), 3E(5)(c), 3F, 70(1), 70(2) Criminal Code Act 1899 (Qld) s 84 Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) ss 131.1(1), 132.1, 132.1(1), 132.1(3) Defence Act 1903 (Cth) Pt VII, ss 73A, 73A(1), 73A(2), 73A(1)(a), 73A(2)(a), 73F Defence Legislation Amendment (Application of Criminal Code) Act 2001 (Cth) Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) ss 76(1), 79(1), 126K, 126K(2), 126K(2)(b), 131A, 131A(2) Evidence Act 2008 (Vic) ss 126K, 126K(1), 131A(2) Evidence Amendment (Journalists’ Privilege) Act 2007 (Cth) Div 1A, ss 126A, 126B, 126C, 126D Evidence Amendment (Journalists’ Privilege) Act 2011 (Cth) Div 1A, ss 126H, 131A Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) s 39B National Security Legislation Amendment (Espionage and Foreign Interference) Act 2018 (Cth) Sch 2, Pt 1, item 7 Safety of Defences Act 1890 (Qld) s 6
Cases cited:	Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenue (Northern Territory) [2009] HCA 41; (2009) 239 CLR 27 Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha Ltd v Tomar (No 4) [2012] FCA 385; (2012) 202 FCR 564 Ashby v Commonwealth of Australia (No 2) [2012] FCA 766; (2012) 203 FCR 440 Australian Broadcasting Corporation v Kane [2019] FCA 1716 Australian Capital Television Pty Ltd v The Commonwealth [1992] HCA 45; (1992) 177 CLR 106 Baker v Campbell [1983] HCA 39; (1983) 153 CLR 52 Barbosa v Di Meglio [1999] NSWCA 307 Beckwith v The Queen [1976] HCA 55; (1976) 135 CLR 569 Beneficial Finance Corporation v Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police [1991] FCA 92; (1991) 31 FCR 523 Branzburg v Hayes et al 408 US 665 (1972) Brown v Tasmania [2017] HCA 43; (2017) 261 CLR 328 Caratti v Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police (No 2) [2016] FCA 1132 Caratti v Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police [2017] FCAFC 177; (2017) 257 FCR 166 Clubb v Edwards; Preston v Avery [2019] HCA 11; (2019) 93 ALJR 448 Cody v J H Nelson Pty Ltd [1947] HCA 17; (1947) 74 CLR 629 Coleman v Power [2004] HCA 39; (2004) 220 CLR 1 Comcare v Banerji [2019] HCA 23; (2019) 93 ALJR 900 Dasreef Pty Ltd v Hawchar [2011] HCA 21; (2011) 243 CLR 588 Deputy Commissioner of Taxation v Clark [2003] NSWCA 91; (2003) 57 NSWLR 113 Dunesky v Elder [1994] FCA 1569; (1994) 54 FCR 540 Gas & Fuel Corporation of Victoria v Comptroller of Stamps [1964] VR 617 George v Rockett [1990] HCA 26; (1990) 170 CLR 104 Glencore International AG v Federal Commissioner of Taxation [2019] HCA 26; (2019) 93 ALJR 967 Harts Australia Ltd v Commissioner, Australian Federal Police (1997) 75 FCR 145 Hart v Commissioner of Australian Federal Police [2002] FCAFC 392; (2002) 124 FCR 384 Hatfield v Health Insurance Commission [1987] FCA 286; (1987) 15 FCR 487 HG v The Queen [1999] HCA 2; (1999) 197 CLR 414 Hinchcliffe v Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police [2001] FCA 1747; (2001) 118 FCR 308 Hogan v Hinch [2011] HCA 4; (2011) 243 CLR 506 Idoport Pty Ltd & Anor v National Australia Bank Ltd & ors [2001] NSWSC 123 Independent Commission Against Corruption v Cornwall (1993) 38 NSWLR 207 Lange v Australian Broadcasting Corporation [1997] HCA 25; (1997) 189 CLR 520 Makita (Australia) Pty Ltd v Sprowles [2001] NSWCA 305; (2001) 52 NSWLR 705 McCloy v New South Wales [2015] HCA 34; (2015) 257 CLR 178 Miller v TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd [1986] HCA 60; (1986) 161 CLR 556 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v Li [2013] HCA 18; (2013) 249 CLR 332 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v Singh [2014] FCAFC 1; (2014) 231 FCR 437 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v Stretton [2016] FCAFC 11; (2016) 237 FCR 1 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v SZMDS [2010] HCA 16; (2010) 240 CLR 611 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v SZVFW [2018] HCA 30; (2018) 92 ALJR 713 Mulholland v Australian Electoral Commission [2004] HCA 41; (2004) 220 CLR 181 Muggeridge v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2017] FCAFC 200; (2017) 255 FCR 81 National Justice Compania Naviera SA v Prudential Assurance Co Ltd ("The Ikarian Reefer") [1993] 2 Lloyd's Rep 68 Nicholls v Director of Public Prosecutions for South Australia [1993] SASC 3964; (1993) 61 SASR 31 Notaras v Hugh [2003] NSWSC 167 John Fairfax & Sons Ltd v Cojuangco [1988] HCA 54; (1988) 165 CLR 346 Parker v Churchill [1986] FCA 88; (1986) 9 FCR 334 Peters v Attorney-General for New South Wales (1988) 16 NSWLR 24 Polley v Johnson [2015] NSWCA 256; (2015) 253 A Crim R 521 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority [1998] HCA 28; (1998) 194 CLR 355 Puglisi v Australian Fisheries Management Authority [1997] FCA 846; (1997) 148 ALR 393 R v Regos [1947] HCA 19; (1947) 74 CLR 613 Re Brian Lawlor Automotive Pty Ltd and Collector of Customs (New South Wales) (1978) 1 ALD 167 R v Tillett; Ex parte Newton (1969) 14 FLR 101 Robert Bosch (Australia) Pty Ltd v Secretary, Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education [2012] FCAFC 117; (2012) 206 FCR 92 Roberts v Bass [2002] HCA 57; (2002) 212 CLR 1 Singh v Minister for Home Affairs [2019] FCAFC 3 State of New South Wales v Corbett [2007] HCA 32; (2007) 230 CLR 606 SZTAL v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2017] HCA 34; (2017) 262...