Houston v State of New South Wales (No 2)

• Jurisdiction: Australia Federal only
• Judgment Date: 11 June 2021
• Neutral Citation: [2021] FCA 637
• Court: Federal Court
• Date: 11 June 2021

Federal Court of Australia

Houston v State of New South Wales (No 2) [2021] FCA 637

File number(s):	NSD 1513 of 2019
Judgment of:	GRIFFITHS J
Date of judgment:	11 June 2021
Catchwords:	PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – interlocutory application by respondent for summary judgment under s 31A(2) of Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) –claim for declaratory relief that Native Vegetation Act 2003 (NSW) and Local Land Services Act 2013 (NSW) are invalid – administrative law challenge to Land Management (Native Vegetation) Code 2018 (NSW) (Code) – whether no reasonable prospects of success ; CONSTITUTIONAL LAW – s 51(xxxi) of the Constitution – whether s 51(xxxi) extends to State legislation – whether State legislation conditioned on grant of financial assistance under s 96 of the Constitution – where applicant contends impugned legislation “embeds” Commonwealth purpose – whether s 51(xxxi) extends to State legislation where no formal or informal bilateral agreement – where no invalidity of Commonwealth legislation pleaded – whether no reasonable prospects of success ; CONSTITUTIONAL LAW – whether acquisition of property – whether “benefit” accrued to State or Commonwealth – acquisition requires accrual of identifiable or measurable benefit or interest of proprietary character – whether acquisition through “restriction on use” – whether acquisition through alleged requirement of positive land management – whether acquisition through diminution in value – whether no reasonable prospects of success ; CONSTITUTIONAL LAW – whether proportionality or structured proportionality applies to s 51(xxxi) – whether no reasonable prospects of success ; ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – whether Code is ultra vires the LLS Act – where LLS Act contains broad objects and Code contains prescriptive checks and balances based on Executive policy choices – whether Code invalid due to unreasonableness or disproportionality – consideration of high threshold test for unreasonable disproportionality – where complaint directed towards merits or equity of Code – whether no reasonable prospects of success
Legislation:	Constitution ss 51(xxxi), 51(xxxvi), 61, 92, 96 Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) ss 31A Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) ss 40, 78B Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) rr 16.21(1), 30.01, 40.51 ; Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (NSW) Local Land Services Act 2013 (NSW) ss 3(e), 60T-U, 60W, 60ZE, 60ZG Native Vegetation Act 2003 (NSW) ss 12, 38 Protection of the Environment Administration Act 1991 (NSW) s 6(2) Land Management (Native Vegetation) Code 2018 (NSW) cll 82-84, 88, Pt 2, Sch 4 ; Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (opened for signature 16 March 1998, 2303 UNTS 162, entered into force 16 February 2005)
Cases cited:	Alcock v Commonwealth [2013] FCAFC 36; 210 FCR 454 Attorney-General (NT) v Emmerson [2014] HCA 13; 253 CLR 393 Attorney-General (SA) v Corporation of the City of Adelaide [2013] HCA 3; 249 CLR 1 Australian Energy Regulator v Snowy Hydro Limited [2014] FCA 1013 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Cassimatis [2013] FCA 641; 220 FCR 256 Bank of NSW v Commonwealth [1948] HCA 7; 76 CLR 1 Boston Commercial Services Pty Ltd v G E Capital Finance Australasia Pty Ltd [2006] FCA 1352; 236 ALR 720 Chandrasekaran v Commonwealth of Australia (No 3) [2020] FCA 1629 Clunies-Ross v Commonwealth [1984] HCA 65; 155 CLR 193 Commonwealth v NSW [1915] HCA 17; 20 CLR 54 Commonwealth v Tasmania [1983] HCA 21; 158 CLR 1 Commonwealth v WMC Resources Ltd [1998] HCA 8; 194 CLR 1 Cunliffe v Commonwealth [1994] HCA 44; 182 CLR 272 Cunningham v Commonwealth [2016] HCA 39; 259 CLR 536 Davies v Western Australia [1904] HCA 46; 2 CLR 29 Durham Holdings Pty Ltd v New South Wales [2001] HCA 7; 205 CLR 399 Esposito v Commonwealth [2015] FCAFC 160; 235 FCR 1 Fortescue Metals Group v Warrie on behalf of the Yindjibarndi People [2019] FCAFC 177; 273 FCR 350 General Steel Industries Inc v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) [1964] HCA 69; 112 CLR 125 Georgiadis v Australian and Overseas Telecommunications Corporation [1994] HCA 6; 179 CLR 297 Houston v State of New South Wales [2020] FCA 502 ICM Agriculture Pty Ltd v Commonwealth [2009] HCA 51; 240 CLR 140 Jefferson Ford Pty Ltd v Ford Motor Company of Australia Ltd [2008] FCAFC 60; 167 FCR 372 JT International SA v Commonwealth [2012] HCA 43; 250 CLR 1 Kimber v The Owners Strata Plan No. 48216 [2017] FCAFC 226; 258 FCR 575 Kitoko v University of Technology Sydney [2021] FCA 360 Kowalski v MMAL Staff Superannuation Fund Pty Ltd [2009] FCAFC 117; 178 FCR 401 Mabo v Queensland [1988] HCA 69; 166 CLR 186 Morton v Union Steamship Company of New Zealand Ltd [1951] HCA 42; 83 CLR 402 Murphy v Electoral Commissioner [2016] HCA 36; 261 CLR 28 Newcrest Mining (WA) Ltd v Commonwealth [1997] HCA 38; 190 CLR 513 P J Magennis Pty Ltd v Commonwealth [1949] HCA 66; 80 CLR 382 Palmer v Western Australia [2021] HCA 5; 388 ALR 180 Plaintiff M47/2012 v Director-General of Security [2012] HCA 46; 251 CLR 1 Pye v Renshaw [1951] HCA 8; 84 CLR 58 Smith v ANL Ltd [2000] HCA 58; 204 CLR 493 South Australia v Tanner [1989] HCA 3; 166 CLR 161 Spencer v Commonwealth of Australia [2010] HCA 28; 241 CLR 118 Spencer v Commonwealth [2015] FCA 754; 240 FCR 282 Spencer v Commonwealth [2018] FCAFC 17; 262 FCR 344 Telstra Corporation Ltd v Commonwealth [2008] HCA 7; 234 CLR 210 Trade Practices Commission v Tooth [1979] HCA 47; 142 CLR 397 Trkulja v Google LLC [2018] HCA 25; 263 CLR 149 Tunnock v Victoria [1951] HCA 55; 84 CLR 42 UBS AG v Tyne [2018] HCA 45; 265 CLR 77 Vanstone v Clark [2005] FCAFC 189; 147 FCR 299
Division:	General Division
Registry:	New South Wales
National Practice Area:	Administrative and Constitutional Law and Human Rights
Number of paragraphs:	125
Date of hearing:	23-24 March 2021
Counsel for the Applicant:	Ms B Nolan
Solicitor for the Applicant:	Webb & Boland
Counsel for the Respondent:	Mr J Kirk SC with Ms J Davidson
Solicitor for the Respondent:	Crown Solicitor’s Office

ORDERS

		NSD 1513 of 2019
BETWEEN:	ROBERT ALEXANDER HOUSTON Applicant
AND:	STATE OF NEW SOUTH WALES Respondent

order made by:	GRIFFITHS J
DATE OF ORDER:	...