Unions NSW and Ors v. State of New South Wales
Case No.
S70/2013
Case Information
Catchwords
Constitutional law – Limitation on State legislative power – Implied freedom of political communication on governmental and political matters – Election Funding, Expenditure and Disclosures Act 1981 (NSW) (“the EFED Act”) – s 96D of the EFED Act prohibits political donations other than by individuals on the electoral roll – Whether s 96D of the Act impermissibly burdens the implied freedom and is therefore invalid – Whether ss 95F, 95G(6) and 95I of the EFED Act impermissibly burden the implied freedom and are therefore invalid.
Constitutional law – Limitation on State legislative power – Implied freedom of association – Whether s 96D of the EFED Act impermissibly burdens a freedom of association provided for in the Commonwealth Constitution.
Constitutional law – State constitutions – Constitution Act 1902 (NSW) (“the Constitution Act”) – Whether ss 7A and 7B of the Constitution Act give rise to an entrenched protection of freedom of communication on New South Wales State government and political matters – If so, whether s 96D or ss 95F, 95G(6) and 95I of the EFED Act impermissibly burden the implied freedom and are therefore invalid.
Constitutional law – Inconsistency – s 109 of the Commonwealth Constitution – Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (Cth) (“the CEA Act”) – Whether s 96D is invalid under s 109 of the Commonwealth Constitution because it is inconsistent with ss 327 or Part XX of the CEA Act.
Documents
08/04/2013 Writ of summons
15/05/2013 Hearing (Single Justice, Perth v/link to Sydney)
25/07/2013 Hearing (Single Justice, Sydney)
12/08/2013 Consent order for directions
12/08/2013 Special case stated
18/09/2013 Written submissions (Plaintiffs)
18/09/2013 Chronology
09/10/2013 Written submissions (Defendant)
16/10/2013 Written submissions (Attorney-General of the Commonwealth intervening)
16/10/2013 Written submissions (Attorney-General for the State of Victoria intervening)
16/10/2013 Written submissions (Attorney-General for the State of Western Australia intervening)
18/10/2013 Written submissions (Attorney-General for the State of Queensland intervening)
23/10/2013 Reply
05/11/2013 Hearing (Full Court, Canberra) (Audio-visual recording)
06/11/2013 Hearing (Full Court, Canberra) (Audio-visual recording)
18/12/2013 Judgment (Judgment summary)