Ainsworth & Anor v Criminal Justice Commission

In the High Court of Australia, Leonard Hastings Ainsworth and Ainsworth Nominees Pty Limited (the appellants) sought special leave to appeal against a decision of the Full Court. The Criminal Justice Commission (the respondent) was the opposing party. The core of the dispute concerned the respondent's report and subsequent parliamentary committee proceedings related to gaming machines.

The legal issues before the High Court included whether the respondent's application to the Full Court had been premature, and the relevance of ongoing parliamentary committee hearings and legislative developments to the matter. The appellants also sought to argue that the entire process, from the respondent's initial advice to the passage of legislation and the establishment of a roll of recognized manufacturers, constituted a single continuous process.

The respondent sought leave to file affidavits to bring the matter up to date, arguing that these developments were relevant to the Court's consideration. The respondent contended that the parliamentary committee had afforded procedural fairness and that the ongoing legislative process, including the appointment of a person under the new Act, was pertinent. The Chief Justice had previously indicated that the grant of special leave was provisional and that subsequent developments might lead to its revocation.