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Australian Marriage Equality Ltd & Anor v. Minister for Finance Mathias Cormann & Anor

Case No. M106/2017
Case information

Catchwords

Constitutional law – Constitution ss 54, 75(v), 83 – Postal survey of opinions on same-sex marriage – Where Advance to the Finance Minister Determination (No 1 of 2017-2018) (“Determination”) increased departmental item for Australian Bureau of Statistics by $122m to make funding available for “voluntary postal plebiscite” – Whether Determination invalid because Appropriation Act (No 1) 2017-2018 (Cth) s 10 does not authorise Minister to make determination amending sch 1 of Act to appropriate funds for expenditure outside “ordinary annual services” of government – Whether Determination invalid because expenditure not “unforeseen” within meaning of s 10(1)(b).

Short particulars

Documents

10/08/2017 Writ of summons

10/08/2017 Statement of claim

10/08/2017 Notice of constitutional matter (Plaintiffs)

11/08/2017 Hearing (Single Justice, Sydney v/link Melbourne)

14/08/2017 Amended Statement of claim

16/08/2017 Defence (First Defendant)

16/08/2017 Submitting Appearance (Second Defendant)

17/08/2017 Hearing (Single Justice, Brisbane v/link Melbourne & Sydney)

21/08/2017 Special case

23/08/2017 Written submissions (Plaintiffs)

23/08/2017 Chronology

30/08/2017 Written submissions (First Defendant and Commonwealth Attorney-General intervening)

01/09/2017 Reply

05/09/2017 Hearing (Full Court, Melbourne) (Audio-visual recording)

06/09/2017 Hearing (Full Court, Melbourne) (Audio-visual recording)

07/09/2017 Hearing - Pronouncement of orders (Full Court, Melbourne)

28/09/2017 Judgment