Prior v South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council Aboriginal Corporation

• Jurisdiction: Australia Federal only
• Court: Federal Court
• Judge: MCKERRACHER J
• Judgment Date: 10 June 2020
• Neutral Citation: [2020] FCA 808
• Date: 10 June 2020

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Prior v South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council Aboriginal Corporation [2020] FCA 808

File number:	WAD 519 of 2018
Judge:	MCKERRACHER J
Date of judgment:	10 June 2020
Catchwords:	ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – judicial review of a decision of the Registrar of the National Native Title Tribunal – application to review the decision to register six indigenous land use agreements – whether applicant denied procedural fairness – where applicant did not object to registration pursuant to s 24CI of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) – Consideration of Div 3 Subdiv C of Pt 2 of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) ; PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – application for dismissal of the claim pursuant to s 31A of the Federal Court Act of Australia 1976 (Cth) and r 26.01 of the Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) – whether claim enjoyed reasonable prospects of success – whether claim disclosed a reasonable cause of action
Legislation:	Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 (Cth) ss 3(1), 16(1) Constitution s 51(xxvi) Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) ss 20(1A), 31A(2), 31A(3) Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) ss 24CH, 24CH(l)(a), 24CH(l)(b), 24CH(2), 24CI(1), 24CJ, 24CK, 24CK(2)(c), 24CK(4), 199A, 203BE(5), 203BE(5)(a), 203BE(5)(b) Native Title (Notices) Determination 2011 (No. 1) (Cth) ss 4, 6(1), 6(2)(a) Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) rr 16.21(1)(e), 26.01, 26.01(1)(a), 26.01(1)(b), 26.01(1)(c), 26.01(1)(d), 31.01 Pacific Islanders Protection Act 1875 (UK) ss 6, 7
Cases cited:	Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Cassimatis (2013) 220 FCR 256; [2013] FCA 641 Bennell v Western Australia (2006) 153 FCR 120; [2006] FCA 1243 Bodney v Bennell (2008) 167 FCR 84; [2008] FCAFC 63 Buurabalayji Thalanyji Aboriginal Corporation v Onslow Salt Pty Ltd (No 2) [2018] FCA 978 Chaffers v Goldsmid [1894] 1 QB 186 Coe v Commonwealth (1979) 24 ALR 118; [1979] HCA 68 Coe v Commonwealth (1993) 118 ALR 193; [1993] HCA 42 Crocker v Toys ‘R’ Us (Australia) Pty Ltd (No 3) [2015] FCA 728 Dandaven v Harbeth Holdings Pty Ltd [2008] FCA 955 Davey v Bentinck [1893] 1 QB 185 Dey v Victorian Railways Commissioners (1949) 78 CLR 62 Dowling v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd (2007) 169 IR 201; [2007] FMCA 2104 General Steel Industries Inc v Commissioner for Railways (1964) 112 CLR 125 Geneva Laboratories Ltd v Nguyen (2014) 110 IPR 295; [2014] FCA 1270 Hodson v Pare [1899] 1 QB 455 Jefferson Ford Pty Ltd v Ford Motor Company of Australia Ltd (2008) 167 FCR 372; [2008] FCAFC 60 Kimber v Owners Strata Plan No 48216 [2016] FCA 1090 Love v Commonwealth of Australia; Thoms v Commonwealth of Australia [2020] HCA 3 Luck v University of Southern Queensland [2008] FCA 1582 Mabo v Queensland (No.2) (1992) 175 CLR 1 McAleer v University of Western Australia (No 3) (2008) 171 FCR 499; [2008] FCA 1490 MCG Quarries Pty Ltd v Beach [2017] FCA 1601 McGlade v South West Aboriginal Land & Sea Aboriginal Corporation (No 2) (2019) 374 ALR 329; [2019] FCAFC 238 Members of the Yorta Yorta Aboriginal Community v Victoria (2002) 214 CLR 422 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v WZARH (2015) 256 CLR 326 Re Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs; Ex parte Miah (2001) 206 CLR 57 Minister of State for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Teoh (1995) 183 CLR 273 NBGZ v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (2005) 143 FCR 434; [2005] FCAFC 119 Norman v Matthews (1916) 85 LJKB 857 Pickering v Centrelink [2008] FCA 561 Polar Aviation Pty Ltd v Civil Aviation Safety Authority (2012) 203 FCR 325; [2012] FCAFC 97 Qualify Me Pty Ltd v Get Qualified Australia Pty Ltd [2016] FCA 192 Rana v Commonwealth [2013] FCA 189 Rogers v Assets Loan Co Pty Ltd (2008) 250 ALR 82; [2008] FCA 1305 “Sam Hawk” v Reiter Petroleum Inc (2016) 246 FCR 337; [2016] FCAFC 26 Singh v Secretary, Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (2011) 282 ALR 56; [2011] FCA 883 SK Foods LP v SK Foods Australia (in liq) (No 3) (2013) 214 FCR 543; [2013] FCA 526 SmithKline Beecham (Aust) Pty Ltd v Chipman [2002] FCA 674 Spencer v Commonwealth (2010) 241 CLR 118 Sullivan v North West Crewing Pty Ltd [2016] FCA 1130 Von Reisner v Commonwealth (2009) 177 FCR 531; [2009] FCAFC 97 Walker v South Australia (No 2) (2015) 215 FCR 254; [2013] FCA 700 Walton v Gardiner (1993) 177 CLR 378 Wenlock v Moloney [1965] 2 All ER 871 Western Australia v Commonwealth (1995) 183 CLR 373 Williams & Humbert v W & H Trade Marks [1986] 1 All ER 129 Winters v Fogarty [2017] FCA 51
Date of hearing:	30 March 2020
Registry:	Western Australia
Division:	General Division
National Practice Area:	Native Title
Category:	Catchwords
Number of paragraphs:	73
Counsel for the Applicant:	Ms L Minston (appeared with leave on behalf of Mr Prior)
Counsel for the First Respondent:	Mr G Del Villar QC
Solicitor for the First Respondent:	Clayton Utz
Counsel for the Second Respondent:	Mr A Sefton
Solicitor for the Second Respondent:	State Solicitor’s Office
Counsel for the Third Respondent:	Mr M Pudovskis
Solicitor for the Third Respondent:	Australian Government Solicitor
Counsel for the Fourth Respondent:	The Fourth Respondent submits to any order of the Court, save as to the question of costs

ORDERS

		WAD 519 of 2018
BETWEEN:	SHELDON PRIOR Applicant
AND:	SOUTH WEST ABORIGINAL LAND & SEA COUNCIL ABORIGINAL CORPORATION First Respondent ; STATE OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA Second Respondent ; COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (and another named in the Schedule) Third Respondent

JUDGE:	MCKERRACHER J
DATE OF ORDER:	10 June 2020

THE COURT ORDERS THAT:

1. The applicant’s application be summarily dismissed.

2. The applicant pay the costs of each of the respondents, to be assessed if not agreed.

Note: Entry of orders is dealt with in Rule 39.32 of the Federal Court Rules 2011.

REASONS FOR...