QSuper Board v Australian Financial Complaints Authority Limited

• Jurisdiction: Australia Federal only
• Judgment Date: 09 April 2020
• Neutral Citation: [2020] FCAFC 55
• Date: 09 April 2020
• Court: Full Federal Court (Australia)

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

QSuper Board v Australian Financial Complaints Authority Limited [2020] FCAFC 55

File number:	QUD 535 of 2019
Judges:	MOSHINSKY, BROMWICH AND DERRINGTON JJ
Date of judgment:	9 April 2020
Catchwords:	CONSTITUTIONAL LAW – Judicial power of the Commonwealth – Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) given powers to determine superannuation complaints – AFCA determined that superannuation trustee’s decision not to refund money to member operated unreasonably or unfairly in its operation in relation to that member – decision alleged to be or to involve an impermissible exercise of judicial power because it was “in effect” a determination of existing rights of the parties in relation to the operation of s 1017B of the Corporations Act – AFCA’s determination did not involve any determination of rights under s 1017B – entitlement of non-judicial body to determine rights of parties as a step “along the way” to a non-judicial decision discussed – ability of non-judicial body to determine rights of parties where other aspects of judicial power not present – application dismissed
Legislation:	Constitution ss 71, 75(v) Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) s 25D Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 (Cth) ss 43, 44, 44A Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) ss 911A, 912A, 1017B, 1022B, 1022C, 1050, 1051, 1052E, 1055, 1055A, 1055B, 1057, 1057A Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) s 25 Insurance and Superannuation Commissioner Act 1987 (Cth) Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 (Cth) ss 10, 18, 19, 31, 101, 298 Superannuation (Resolution of Complaints) Act 1993 (Cth) s 37 Treasury Laws Amendment (Putting Consumers First – Establishment of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority) Act 2018 (Cth) Superannuation (State Public Sector) Act 1990 (Qld) ss 3, 4, 12 Corporations Regulations 2001 (Cth) reg 7.6.01(1)(a) Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Amendment Regulations 2009 (No 5) (Cth) reg 13.17B Superannuation (State Public Sector) Deed 1990 (Qld) Superannuation (State Public Sector) (Scheme Membership) Amendment of Deed Regulation 2017 (Qld)
Cases cited:	Abebe v Commonwealth [1999] HCA 14; 197 CLR 510 Albarran v Companies Auditors and Liquidators Disciplinary Board [2007] HCA 23; 231 CLR 350 Attorney-General (Cth) v Alinta Limited [2008] HCA 2; 233 CLR 542 Attorney-General (Cth) v Breckler [1999] HCA 28; 197 CLR 83 Australian Communications and Media Authority v Today FM (Sydney) Pty Ltd [2015] HCA 7; 255 CLR 352 Australian Communications Authority v Viper Communications Pty Ltd [2001] FCA 637; 110 FCR 380 Australian Football League v Carlton Football Club Ltd [1998] 2 VR 546 Brandy v Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (1995) 183 CLR 245 Carrascalao v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2017] FCAFC 107; 252 FCR 352 Dundee General Hospitals Board of Management v Walker [1952] 1 All ER 896 Fastbet Investments Pty Ltd v Deputy Commissioner of Taxation (No 5) [2019] FCA 2073 Gisborne v Gisborne (1877) 2 App Cas 300 Huddart, Parker & Co Pty Limited v Moorehead (1909) 8 CLR 330 Kumar v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2020] FCAFC 16 Luton v Lessels [2002] HCA 13; 210 CLR 333 Mickovski v Financial Ombudsman Service Ltd [2012] VSCA 185; 36 VR 456 Minister for Aboriginal Affairs v Peko-Wallsend Ltd (1986) 162 CLR 24 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v SZSRS [2014] FCAFC 16; 309 ALR 67 Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Wu Shan Liang (1996) 185 CLR 259 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Eshetu [1999] HCA 21; 197 CLR 611 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Yusuf [2001] HCA 30; 206 CLR 323 Palmer v Ayres [2017] HCA 5; 259 CLR 478 Perpetual Trustees Australia Ltd v Wallace [2007] FCA 527 Precision Data Holdings Ltd v Wills (1991) 173 CLR 167 R v Davison (1954) 90 CLR 353 R v Gallagher; Ex parte Aberdare Collieries Pty Ltd (1963) 37 ALJR 40 R v Quinn; Ex parte Consolidated Foods Corporation (1977) 138 CLR 1 R v Trade Practices Tribunal; Ex parte Tasmanian Breweries Pty Ltd (1970) 123 CLR 361 Re Cram; Ex parte Newcastle Wallsend Coal Co Pty Ltd (1987) 163 CLR 140 Retail Employees Superannuation Pty Ltd v Crocker [2001] FCA 1330; 48 ATR 359 Rola Company (Australia) Pty Ltd v The Commonwealth (1944) 69 CLR 185 Sue v Hill [1999] HCA 30; 199 CLR 462 TCL Air Conditioner (Zhongsham) Co Ltd v Judges of Federal Court of Australia [2013] HCA 5; 251 CLR 533 Waterside Workers’ Federation of Australia v JW Alexander Ltd (1918) 25 CLR 434 White v Director of Military Prosecutions [2007] HCA 29; 231 CLR 570 Wilkinson v Clerical Administrative and Related Employees Superannuation Pty Ltd (1998) 79 FCR 469
Date of hearing:	13 February 2020
Registry:	Queensland
Division:	General Division
National Practice Area:	Commercial and Corporations
Sub-area:	Commercial Contracts, Banking, Finance and Insurance
Category:	Catchwords
Number of paragraphs:	207
Counsel for the Applicant:	Mr A Sullivan QC
Solicitor for the Applicant:	Thomson Geer
Counsel for the First Respondent:	Mr M Wise QC with Mr A Solomon Bridge
Solicitor for the First Respondent:	Arslan Lawyers
Counsel for the Second Respondent:	The Second Respondent did not appear
Counsel for the Intervener:	Mr G del Villar QC with Ms K McGree
Solicitor for the Intervener:	Australian Government Solicitor

ORDERS

		QUD 535 of 2019
BETWEEN:	QSUPER BOARD Applicant
AND:	AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL COMPLAINTS AUTHORITY LIMITED First Respondent ; TOMMY LAM Second Respondent

JUDGES:	MOSHINSKY, BROMWICH AND DERRINGTON JJ
DATE OF ORDER:	9 APRIL 2020

THE COURT ORDERS THAT:

1. The applicant have leave to amend the amended notice of appeal by including the additional ground of appeal.

2. The applicant is to file and serve the...