Sportsbet Pty Ltd v. State of New South Wales and Ors

Lower Court Judgment

17/11/2010 Federal Court of Australia(Keane CJ, Lander & Buchanan JJ)

[2010] FCAFC 132

Catchwords

Constitutional law — Freedom of interstate trade — Applicant a licensed bookmaker domiciled in Northern Territory — NSW legislative scheme prohibited use of race field information without approval and authorised imposition of fee as condition for approval ("Scheme") — Fee imposed on all wagering operators irrespective of whether domiciled in NSW — NSW racing control bodies subsidised NSW wagering operators — Whether practical effect of fee was to impose discriminatory burden of protectionist nature on interstate trade — Whether Scheme inconsistent with freedom of interstate trade, commerce and intercourse — Constitution, ss 92, 109 — Northern Territory (Self Government) Act 1978 (Cth), s 49 — Racing Administration Act 1998 (NSW), s 33(1).

Constitutional law — Freedom of interstate trade — Whether Scheme inconsistent with freedom of interstate trade, commerce and intercourse — Whether practical effect of Scheme determinable without consideration of offsetting reductions in existing fees payable by intrastate traders — Whether necessary for interstate trader to show that interstate trader's competitive advantage derived from place of origin in another State or Territory and Scheme imposed discriminatory burden affecting that advantage — Whether Scheme protectionist if imposed with intention of protecting intrastate traders and fee not reasonably appropriate or adapted to non-protectionist objective — Whether validity of statutory prohibition, combined with administrative discretion to relax prohibition, to be determined by comparing interstate and intrastate traders' positions — Whether relevant or determinative that State and administrative bodies intend discretion over prohibition to be exercised to protect intrastate traders — Constitution, ss 92, 109 — Northern Territory (Self Government) Act 1978 (Cth), s 49 — Racing Administration Act 1998 (NSW), s 33(1).

Short Particulars