High Court Registry closure

The High Court Registry will be closed from 4:00pm AEDT on Wednesday, 24 December 2025 and will re-open at 9:00am on Friday, 2 January 2026.

Any party seeking to file a document due to be filed between 25 December 2025 and 1 January 2026 has an automatic extension of time under the High Court Rules 2004 (Rule 4.01.5) until 4:00pm on Friday, 2 January 2026 to file the document. Any documents lodged between 25 December 2025 and 1 January 2026 will be reviewed on 2 January 2026.

All inquiries for the High Court will be considered when the Registry re-opens on Friday, 2 January 2026. If a matter is of extreme urgency, you may telephone 1800 570 566, select Option 1 and leave a voicemail. In addition, provide details by email to: registry@hcourt.gov.au.

Palmer & Ors v. Australian Electoral Commission & Ors

Case No. B19/2019
Case information

Catchwords

Constitutional law – Federal election – Where each plaintiff has been endorsed by United Australia Party as a candidate in House of Representatives or Senate for purpose of 2019 federal election – Whether the exercise by any/all defendants of their powers under Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (Cth) is constrained by a statutory limitation preventing publication or release to a nationwide audience, at a time when any poll remains open, of identity of two candidates selected by Commission for each Electoral Division or of results of indicative two-candidate-preferred count – Whether there is a constitutional limitation to similar effect by reason of mandate for direct and popular choice contained in ss 7 and 24 of Constitution (Cth).

Short particulars

Documents

02/04/2019 Application for constitutional or other writ

02/04/2019 Notice of constitutional matter (Plaintiffs)

05/04/2019 Hearing (Single Justice, Melbourne v/link Canberra and Sydney)

15/04/2019 Written submissions (Plaintiffs)

23/04/2019 Hearing (Single Justice, Melbourne v/link Sydney)

23/04/2019 Amended Written submissions (Plaintiffs)

24/04/2019 Submitting appearance (First to Tenth Defendants)

26/04/2019 Annotated Submissions of the Attorney-General of the Commonwealth (S P Donaghue QC, Intervening)

02/05/2019 Amended Annotated Submissions of the Attorney-General of the Commonwealth (S P Donaghue QC, Intervening)

02/05/2019 Reply

02/05/2019 Further Amended Written submissions (Plaintiffs)

06/05/2019 Hearing (Full Court, Canberra) (Audio-visual recording)

06/05/2019 Outline of oral argument (Plaintiffs)

06/05/2019 Outline of oral argument (Attorney-General of the Commonwealth intervening)

07/05/2019 Hearing (Full Court, Canberra) (Audio-visual recording)
                     (Pronouncement of orders included)

09/05/2019 Joint submissions concerning costs (Defendants and the Attorney-General of the Commonwealth)

14/08/2019 Judgment (Judgment summary)