Knowles v Commonwealth of Australia

• Jurisdiction: Australia Federal only
• Judgment Date: 27 June 2022
• Neutral Citation: [2022] FCA 741
• Date: 27 June 2022
• Court: Federal Court

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Knowles v Commonwealth of Australia [2022] FCA 741

File number(s):	VID 579 of 2021
Judgment of:	MORTIMER J
Date of judgment:	27 June 2022
Catchwords:	PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – application for joinder – application for removal of parties – whether party sought to be joined has standing – applications for joinder and removal of parties granted ; PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – applications for summary dismissal and strike out – pleadings allege invalidity of certain measures relating to COVID-19 restrictions – pleadings allege invalidity due to contraventions of Constitution ch II and ss 51(xxiiiA) and 92, inconsistency with Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), legal unreasonableness, breach of duty or duties of care, and contravention of Australian Consumer Law s 60 – whether pleadings have reasonable prospects of success – applications to strike out amended statement of claim granted – proceeding summarily dismissed – summary judgment in favour of respondents
Legislation:	Constitution ss 51(ix), 51(xx), 51(xxiiiA), 51(xxxi), 92, 96, 109, 122, ch II Biosecurity Act 2015 (Cth) ss 475, 477 Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) pt XI, sch 2 (Australian Consumer Law) ss 2, 5(1)(a), 60 Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) ss 341, 343, 344, 351, 385, 386, 387, pt 3-2 Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) ss 31A, 37M, 37N, pt IVA Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) s 34(1)(b) Workplace Relations Act 1996 (Cth) s 170NC Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) r 9.08 Emergency Management Act 2005 (WA) ss 56, 58, 67 Human Rights Act 2019 (Qld) Public and Environmental Health Act 2011 (NT) ss 48, 50, 52 Public Health Act 1997 (Tas) ss 14, 15, 16, 40 Public Health Act 2010 (NSW) ss 7, 132 Public Health Act 2005 (Qld) ss 319, 323, 362B Public Health Act 2016 (WA) ss 157, 167, 171, 180, 190 Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 (Vic) ss 165AB, 165AI, 189, 190, 198, 199, 200, 200(1)(b), 200(1)(d), pt 10 div 3 Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) Declaration 2020 (Cth) Border Restrictions Direction (Qld) Border Restrictions Direction (No 14) (Qld) COVID-19 Directions (No 55) 2021: Directions for Mandatory Vaccination for Workers to Attend the Workplace (NT) COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination (Specified Facilities) Directions (No 13) (Vic) COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination (Specified Workers) Directions (No 8) (Vic) Freight Movement Code for Domestic Border Controls (Cth) Health Worker (Restrictions on Access) Directions (No 3) (WA) Mandatory Vaccination of Certain Workers – No 5 (Tas) Operational Protocol for Freight Movements entering Queensland (Qld) Pandemic COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination (Specified Facilities) Order 2021 (No 1) (Vic) Pandemic COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination (Specified Workers) Order 2021 (No 1) (Vic) Protocol for Domestic Border Controls – Freight Movements (Cth) Public Health (COVID-19 Additional Restrictions for Delta Outbreak) Order 2021 (NSW) Public Health (COVID-19 Additional Restrictions for Delta Outbreak) Order (No 2) 2021 (NSW) Public Health (COVID-19 General) Order 2021 (NSW) Public Health (COVID-19 Temporary Movement and Gathering Restrictions) Order 2021 (NSW) Vaccination Requirements for Certain Workers – No 10 (Tas)
Cases cited:	5 Boroughs NY Pty Ltd v State of Victoria [2021] VSC 785 Athavle v State of New South Wales [2021] FCA 1075 Australian Conservation Foundation v Commonwealth [1980] HCA 53; 146 CLR 493 Australian Retailers Association v Reserve Bank of Australia [2005] FCA 1707; 148 FCR 446 Binsaris v Northern Territory [2020] HCA 22; 270 CLR 579 British Medical Association v Commonwealth [1949] HCA 44; 79 CLR 201 Caltex Refineries (Qld) Pty Ltd v Stavar [2009] NSWCA 258; 75 NSWLR 649 Commissioner of Taxation v Pham [2013] FCA 579; 134 ALD 534 Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union v Mt Arthur Coal Pty Ltd [2021] FWCFB 6059; 310 IR 399 Cotterill v Romanes [2021] VSC 498 Crimmins v Stevedoring Industry Finance Committee [1999] HCA 59; 200 CLR 1 Davis v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Service and Multicultural Affairs [2021] FCAFC 213 DBE17 v Commonwealth of Australia [2020] FCA 958 DPI17 v Minister for Home Affairs [2019] FCAFC 43; 269 FCR 134 Electrolux Home Products Pty Ltd v Australian Workers’ Union [2004] HCA 40; 221 CLR 309 Esso Australia Pty Ltd v Australian Workers’ Union [2017] HCA 54; 263 CLR 551 Farah Constructions Pty Ltd v Say-Dee Pty Ltd [2007] HCA 22; 230 CLR 89 General Practitioners Society in Australia v Commonwealth [1980] HCA 30; 145 CLR 532 Gerner v State of Victoria [2020] HCA 48; 270 CLR 412 Graham Barclay Oysters Pty Ltd v Ryan [2002] HCA 54; 211 CLR 540 Harding v Sutton (No 2) [2021] VSC 789 Hill v Zuda Pty Ltd [2022] HCA 21 Hunter and New England Local Health District v McKenna [2014] HCA 44; 253 CLR 270 Jemena Asset Management (3) Pty Ltd v Coinvest Ltd [2011] HCA 33; 244 CLR 508 Kassam v Hazzard [2021] NSWSC 1320; 393 ALR 664 Kassam v Hazzard (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 1599 Kassam v Hazzard [2021] NSWCA 299 Larter v Hazzard (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 1451 Loielo v Giles [2020] VSC 722; 63 VR 1 McCloy v New South Wales [2015] HCA 34; 257 CLR 178 Melville on behalf of the Pitta Pitta People v State of Queensland [2022] FCA 387 Minister for the Environment v Sharma [2022] FCAFC 35 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v Singh [2014] FCAFC 1; 231 FCR 437 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v SZVFW [2018] HCA 30; 264 CLR 541 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v Li [2013] HCA 18; 249 CLR 332 Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs v FAK19 [2021] FCAFC 153 Minister for Immigration & Multicultural Affairs v Eshetu [1999] HCA 21; 197 CLR 611 Minister of State for the Army v Dalziel [1944] HCA 4; 68 CLR 261 Murphy v State of Victoria [2014] VSCA 238; 45 VR 119 Ng v Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police [2022] WASCA 48 Owen v Menzies [2013] 2 Qd R 327; [2012] QCA 170 P J Magennis Pty Ltd v Commonwealth [1949] HCA 66; 80 CLR 382 Palmer v Western Australia [2021] HCA 5; 95 ALJR 229 Pape v Federal Commissioner of Taxation [2009] HCA 23; 238 CLR 1 Patrick and Secretary, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (Freedom of Information) [2021] AATA 2719 Perre v Apand Pty Ltd [1999] HCA 36; 198 CLR 180 Photographic Performance Co of Aust Ltd v Copyright Tribunal [2019] FCAFC 95; 270 FCR 645 Plaintiff M83A/2019 v Morrison (No 2) [2020] FCA 1198 Polar Aviation Pty Ltd v Civil Aviation Safety Authority (No 4) [2011] FCA 1126; 203 FCR 293 QNurses First Inc v Monash Health [2021] FCA 1372 R v Duncan; Ex parte Australian Iron & Steel Pty Ltd [1983] HCA 29; 158 CLR 535 RailPro...