Attorney General for the Northern Territory of Australia v The Queen & John Richard Tomlinson

Case [1981] FCA 28


C r i n l n a l Lab: and P l o c c d u r e Act
F c d c r a l C o u r t o i . 4 u s t r : l l i a A L t
Snprenc Cour t A c t 1 9 7 9 , s h . 2 1 (
Suprcme Court Rules , 0 . 3 3
9 March 1981

/

Coram:  Fox, F o r s t e r a n d McGregor J J .
Darwin 

11; THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

NORTHERN TERRITORY DISTRICT REGISTRY

GENEEUL DIVISION

No. NTG 39 of 1980

AppeLlant

AND

-

THE Q U I 3 3
ex par te
JOHN RICHARD TONLII~~SOX - .
R e s p o n d e n t

O R D E R

JUDGES MAKING ORDER. Fox, Fors te r and N c G r c g o r JJ
DATE OF ORDER. 1 7 March 1981
WHERE MADE. D a r w i n
The Court orders t h a t .
1) The appeal be d i s m i s s e d w ' i t h cos t s .

I N THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

NORTHERN TERRITORY DISTRICT REGISTRY

GENERAL D I V I S I O N

No. NTG 39 of 1980

ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR THE

NORTIIER:, TZRRiT0r.Y OF AUSTRALIA ---

A p p e l l m t

N J D

THE QUEIX

ex p a r t e
J O H N KLCilAP33 T0::LINSON

-

Respondent:

COP&[:  FOX, FORSTER and MCGWGOR JJ
The 17th day of March, 1981.
The Attorney-General for the Northern Tcrr l tory
(appel lan t ) appea ls aga ins t an in t e r locu to ry o rde r made by
h i s Honour Mr. J u s t i c e Muirhead on the 2 December 1989.
On 2 0 Narch 1980, a search warrant, which 1 s t h e
subjec t of the a rgument in th i s case , was issued by Kr. G.P.
Galvin, Chief St ipendiary Magistrate for the Northern Terr i tory,
i n pu rpor t ed r e l i ance on the Criminal Law and Procedure Act of
t he Nor the rn Te r r i t o ry , s . lO(b ) . Sec t ion lO(b) i s as follovs.
"10. If a Jus t ice of the Peace i s s a t i s f i e d by
evidence on oa th , whether ora l ly o r by
a f f idav i t , t ha t t he re a re r easonab le g rounds f o r
b e l i e v i n g t h a t t h e r e i s i n c e r t a i n p r e m i s e s o r a
v e h i c l e , v e s s e l , a i rcraf t o r p l a c e -
. ..
(b ) a n y t h i n g as t o w h j c h t h e r e a r e r c a s o n a h l c
g r o u n d s f o r b e l l e v ~ n f i t h e t I t 1\~111 afforc!
ev ic lcncc a s t o t h c commission o f such a n
o f f e n c e . "
T h e h a r r a n t i n t e r m s permitted >carcl] f o r ~ n t l
s e l z u r e 01 a n y v l d c o t a p e c l c p i c t i c z t h e a r r e s t O C Leof f r c )

Yumarra on c e r t a i n l n c ~ d e n t s o c c u r r c d

1 0 F e b r u a r v

1 9 7 6 .

I h c r e a f t e r ,

on

t h c bamc

day ,

at l \ ' ~ n n c l l l c hhen p o l l c c offlcfrc,
r e l y i n g on t h e w a r r a n t , s e l z r d c o p l c s o f v ~ t l e o t a p e 11 L m
f r o m J o h n R l c h a r d T o m l l n s o n ( r c s p o n d e n t ) .
On 2 2 J u l y 1 9 6 0 , t h r e e c o m p l : 1 i n t s and a n ~nI .onia t1Gl l
were l a l d on o a t h a g a i n s t t h e s a l d r e s p o n d e n t a n d sur1monscs
s c r v c d o n h i m I n r e s p e c t o f t h c m . IWO o f t h e s a i d c o n p l a l r l l s
a r e s e t o u t I n n l a t e r l a l p l a c e d b e f o r c us as f o l l o a s : -
9 , . . . (The Respondent l . . . On tht.
2 0 t h d a y of March 1380 a t Darwin 111
t h c N o r t h e r n T e r r i t o r y - o f Australia
resisted a member o f t h e P o l l c e F o r c e
i n t h e e x e c u t l o n o f h i s d u t y c o n t r a r y
t o S e c t i o n 1 5 8 o f t h c P o l l c e A d m l n ~ s t r n t i o ~ ;
Act. .
. . . AND FURTHER o n t h e 2 0 t h d a y o f
March 1 9 6 0 a t D a r a l n o b s t r u c t c d a mcmher
o f t h e P o l l c c F o r c e i n t h e c x e c u t i ~ n o f

h i s d u t y .

C o n t r a r y t o S e c t l o n 1 5 9 o f t h e P o l i c e
A d m i n i s t r a t i o n Act."
I t a p p e a r s f rom t h c p a r t i c u l a r s s u p p l i c d i n r c s p e c t
o f t h e i l r s t c h a r g e t h a t t h c a l l c g e d r c s i s r ~ n g bv t h c responclcl1t
o c c u r r e d Ichen t h e m c n h e r o f t h e p o l l c c f o r c e was e x c c u t l n g t h e

s e a r c h w a r r a n t r e f e r r e d t o e a r l l c r .

On 2 7 O c t o b e r l 9 S O t h e m a t t e r t h c s:lh)rct o f
t h e c o n p l a l n t s came on f o r h e a r l n g b c f o r e ?ir Tlurph\-, S t j p r n J ; a ~ v
M a g i s t r a t e , I n t h e Summary C o u r t 01 J u r ~ s d ~ ~ t ~ o n I n ll~rv:in,
w h e r e u p o n t h e r e s p o n d e n t ' s c o u n s e l c h a l l e n g e d t h r val1~11 t y
o f t h c w a r r a n t a n d s o u g h t : i n a d ~ o u r n n e n t a € t n e hcarlny,.

On 29 Oc tobe r l9SO 111s l.'orsh1p rcfusec! t o T L ~ I

u p o n t h c v a l ~ d l t y o f t h e u a r r a n t o r t o g r a n t a further
a d ~ o u r n m e n t ; b u t I o r o t h c r r e a s o n s u n c o n n c c t e d with this
a r g u m e n t , t h e f u r t h c r h e a r i n g was, i n f a c t , a d l o u r n c d on tl?,:t
day .
On 1 2 November l9SO a n o r d e r 11151 f o r ~ c r t l ~ ) r a r 1
was made by h i s Honour Jlr J u s t i c e ? l u l r h e a d t o q u a s h t h c s e a r c h
w a r r a n t i s s u e d b y t h c l e a r n e d C h i e f S t l p c n d i a r v 7 l a g l s t r a t r .
On 15 November lOS0 t h e r e s p o n d e n t ' s s o l 1 c l t o r T
a p p l i e d f o r d l r e c t l o n s a n d hls H o n o u r ' s o r d c r was made on 2
December 1980. I t 1s a g a i n s t t h a t o r d e r t h a t
, t h e p r e s c n t a p p e a l 1s b m u g h t .
Upon a p p l i c a t ~ o n made on 9 Decel:tber 1 9 6 0 , p u r s u a n t
t o t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t Act 1979 s .78 , it was o r d e r e d t h a t t h e
A t t o r n e y - G e n e r a l € o r t h e N o r t h e r n T e r r i t o r y be ~ o i n c d as a
p a r t y t o t h e s e p r o c e e d l n g s , a n d h e i s t h e a p p e l l a n t .
On t h e a p p e a l c o m i n g o n t o b c h c a r d t h c r e W A S
no a p p e a r a n c e b y o r on b e h a l f o€ t h e r e s p o n d e n t Mr t i .a lvin,
and no e v i d e n c e t h a t h e h a d b e e n s c r v c d . At t h e r e q u c s t o f
t h e c o u r t a n a p p e a r a n c e was l a t e r made by counscl on 111s
b e h a l f , who s u b m l t t e d t o such o r d e r :is t h e c o u r t m ~ g h t n a k c .
Thc o r d e r u n d c r a p p c a l g i v e s d 1 r c c t 1 0 1 1 s 2s t u
t h e h e a r i n g , o r p r e p a r a t i o n f o r t h e h e a r l n g , o f t h c r c t ~ ~ r n o r
t h c o r d e r n 1 s 1 f o r c c r t l o r a r j . I t i s i n a n unusu.11 IOIIII 111
t h a t , a f t e r f o r l n a l s t a t e m c n t s , l t r e a d s -
1 1 . . . 1'1 I S ORDE.EEII l'li.2T __ u p o n t h e r c tu rn O €
t h c o r d e r n l s j f o r c c r t i o r a r i t h c f O l l O \ i ~ ~ l ~
m n t c r i a l b e c o n s ~ d e r c c l upon t h e s u b s t : * n t l r c

! V

a rgumcn t : - . . .
(kc h a v e u n d e r l i n e d " c o n s i d c r c d " . )
T h e r e a f t e r follows J. l l s t o j v(ir10us n J t e r t n 1 '
t h c a f f l d a v l t o i J o h n R i c h a r d T o n l m s c n
a n d e x h l b ~ t s t h c r c t o a l r e a d y filed;

t h e o r i g l n a l h a r r a n t ;

a n y r e c o r d s n a l n t a i n e d b y t h c C h i e f

S t l p c n d ~ a r y > l a g l s t r a t e r e l a t l n g t o

t h e I s s u e o i t h e +:arrant 111 question;
a f f l d a v l t e v i d e n c e o f t h e C h i e f
S t l p e n d i a r y h l n g l s t r d t c r e l a t i n g t o
a n y i n f o r m a t i o n o r c v l d e n c e s u p p l i e d
t o h i m a t t h e t l m e . h e g r a n t e d t h e
w a r r a n t ;
a f f i d a v l t c v l d e n c e o f I n s p e c t o r
O ' R r i e n s e t t i n g o u t t h c ~ n f o r m a t i o n
o r e v l d c n c c s u p p l i e d b y him ( o r a n y

o t h c r p o l l c c o f f i c c r i n h i s p r e s e n c e )

t o t h e ChleC S t l p e n d i a r y ' f 4 a g 1 s t r n t e .
I n h i s u s c o f t h e l iord " c o n s l d c r c d " , I t w o u l d
a p p e a r t h a t h i s l l o n o u r p a i d due d e f e r e n c e t o t h e a r g u n e n t

o n b e h a l f t h a t o n s u c h a n a p p l i c a t i o n ,

o f

t h e

A t t o r n e y - G e n e r a l ,

w h l c h

was

t o

t h e e f f e c t

t h e o n l y na t t e r t o b e c o n s i d e r e d
s h o u l d b e t h e b a r r a n t i t s e l f . I t a p p e a r s t h a t 111s [Ionour
p r o b a b l y i n t e n d e d t h a t t h c r e s o l u t l o n of t h l s m a t t e r b e l e f t
o p e n t o t h e a r g u m e n t w h i c h m i g h t be p r e s e n t c l l I n due c o u r s e
t o make t h e o r d e r a b s o l u t e . To havc d o n e o t h c r w i s e lbould havc
b e e n t o e n t e r u p o n t h c s u b s t a n c c o f t h r h e a r i n g t o nake t h c
r u l e a b s o l u t e .
F o r t h e p u r p o s e s o f t h i s appeal WC a re p r e p s r e d
' t o assume t h a t t h e d i r e c t i o n s g i v e n came w i t h l n t h e p o w e r s
e x p r e s s l y o r i m p l i e d l y g i v e n t o ~ u d g e s o f t h e Suprenlc Court
( s e e O r d e r 3 3 ) , a n d t h a t t h e o r d e r u n d e r a p p e a l 1s a " Judgven t "
w i t h i n t h e m e a n i n g o f t h e F e d e r a l C o u r t o f A u s t r a l i a Act 1 9 7 6 ,
s . 2 4 ( 1 ) ( b ) ( s e e 5 . 4 ) . No a r g u m e n t o n t h e s e mattcrs \;as acidressei
t o us .
T h e a p p e l l a n t by h i s c o u n s e l d o e s n o t o b j e c t t o
t h e p r o d u c t i o n a n d t a k i n g i n t o Evidence o n t h e r e t u r n o f t h c
o r d e r n i s i o f t h e d o c u m e n t s r e f e r r e d t o i n ( a ) a n d ( b ) o f t h e
d i r e c t i o n s . C o u n s e l ' s s u b m i s s i o n i s ' t h a t h c o t h e r d i r e c t i o n s
d i s p l a y a wrong view o f t h e r e l e v a n t law, a n d s h o u l d n o t have
b e e n g i v e n . T h e n o t i c e o f a p p e a l asser ts a nurnber o f e r r o r s
i n t h e d i r e c t i o n s g l v e n b u t t h e e s s e n c e o f t h e n a t t e r c a n h e
f o u n d i n ( a ) a n d ( b ) w h l c h a r e a s f o l 1 o r s : -
. .. r
" ( a ) f l n d l n g t h a t I n t h e c a s c o f p r o c c c d i n c s
b r o u g h t t o t e s t thc v a l ' l d ~ t y o f : i s c a r c h
w a r r a n t i s s u c d p u r s u a n t t o t h e p ~ o v l s l o n s
o f S e c t i o n 1 0 o f t h e C r l n i n a l L ~ I : and
P r o c e d u r e A c t o f t h e h ' o r t h e r n T c r r l t c j r y
o f Australia t h a t t h e r c c o r d t o b e e s m m c ( !
c o m p r i s e s anything n o r e t h a n t h e w a r r a n t
i t s e l f ;
( b ) i n d e c l d l n g t h a t t h e i s h u e o f t h c x a l ~ d ~ t v
o r o t h e r t b l s c o f t h e w a r r a n t w s t o b c

d e c i d e d b y c o n s l d e r i n g m t e r l a l a d d l t l o n s l

t o t h a t a p p c a r l n g u p o n t h c f a c e o f t h e

r e c o r d . "

T h e r e i s no a t t a c k u p o n t h e o r d e r n i s i i t s e l f a n d

W C must was a case t o

assume

t h a t

i t

was

c o r r e c t l y

m a d e ,

that

i s ,

t h a t

t h c r c

s u p p o r t i t .
T h e c o n t e n t i o n of c o u n s e l f o r t h e A t t o r n e y - G e n e r a l

i s t h a t c o m p l i e s w l t h

i n t h e c a s e

of

a

s e a r c h

w a r r a n t

w h i c h

o n

i t s

f a c e

s t a t u t o r y p r o v i s i o n s a n d c
i s o t h e r v l s e r e g u l a r

t h e c o u r t j u r i s d i c t i o n

s h o u l d n o t

r e c e i v e

a n y

f u r t h e r

e v l d e n c e ,

e v c n

a l t h o u g h

.

.

t o g r a n t t h e w a r r a n t i s c h n l l c n g e d . \'?c havc

n o t b e e n d i r e c t i o n s .

s h o w n

t h e

a f f i d a v i t

r e f e r r e d

t o

I n

f a )

o f

t h e

A l t h o u g h c o u n s e l f o r t h e A t t o r n e y - G e n e r a l m d f o r
t h e p r o s e c u t o r w e r e a n x i o u s t o a r g u e a q u e s t i o n a h o u t w h z t
m a t e r i a l s h o u l d b e e x a m i n e d when c o n s l d e r l n g t h c v a l i d i t y o f
a s e a r c h w a r r a n t , t h e c o u r t r a l s e d w i t h t h e m a t t h c o u t c l ' t t h e
.. .

!

q u e s t i o n w h e t h c r we c o u l d o r s h o u l d c n t e r t a l n t h e a p p c a l . As
b o t h s u b m i t t c d t h a t t h c a p p e a l c o u l d p r o c e e d on t h e q u c s t i o n
t h e y w i s h e d t o a r g u c , wc h c a r d s u b m i s s i o n s t h e r c o n a n d ',,l11
l a t e r make some comments on t h e i r r c l e v a n c e a n d m e r l t s . K C re
o f t h c v i e w , h o w e v e r , t h a t t h c q u c s t l o n c o n c s h e f o r c us a t a
p r e m a t u r e s t a g e , a n d i s as a r e s u l t a n a b s t r a c t o n e . I t h 3 5

...

l o n g b e e n h e l d t h a t s u c h a q u e s t i o n s h o u l d n o t be dcn l t . ~ l t h ,
a n d a s b e l n g i n t h a t s c n s e b e y o n d t h e p o w c r o i t h e c o u r t t o
which i t 1s p r e s e n t e d . ( S t e p h e n s o n Blakc 6 Co. v Grant, Lcslos -
6 Co. ( 1 9 1 7 ) 86 L . J . C h . 4 3 9 ; A u s t r a l ~ a n C o ~ : : m o n ~ e a l t h
Sh ipp ing Board v Fede ra t ed Seamcn ' s Un ion o i 4 u s t r a l 1 : j - /1L)25)
3 6 CLR 4 4 2 , 4 5 2 ) . In o u r v i e w , t h e s a m e h o l d s g o o d i n a n
a p p e a l u n d e r t h e F e d e r a l C o u r t o f A u s t r a l i a A c t .
We a r c a s k e d t o d e c i d c t h e q u e s t i o n without
r e f e r c n c e t o t h e e v i d e n c e a l r e a d y c a l l c d , a n d w i t h o n l y a
l i m i t e d f o r e s i g h t o f w h a t t h e u l t m a t e f a c t s m i g h t be Iound
t o be. The principal r e l i e f s o u g h t i s i n a n y e v e n t t o a l i m l t c d
d e g r e e d i s c r e t i o n a r y (R v S t a f f o r d J u s t i c e s (19.10) 2 KB 5 3
a t 4 3 , 4 4 ; Yirrell v Y i r r e l l ( 1 9 3 0 ) 6 2 CLR 2 8 7 a t 2 9 7 1 . A
d e c i s i o n on (c) , ( d ) a n d ( e ) of t h e d i r e c t i o n s will n o t o f
-
i t s e l f d e t e r m i n e t h e i s s u e betw-ecn t h e p a r t i e s a n d may o r may
n o t p r o v e t o b e c r l t i c a l i n d o i n g s o .
I I i s Honour was n o t f i n a l l y d c t e r m i n l n g w h a t
m a t e r i a l c o u l d b e e x a m i n e d b y t h e c o u r t w h i c h w o u l d d e c l d c
i n d u c c o u r s e w h e t h e r t h e writ would go ; h e v a s e n d e a v o u r ~ n g

t o a n t i c i p a t e t h e n a t u r e o f m a t e r l a l w h i c h m i g h t b e t h o ~ q h t

on t h e q u e s t i o n 01 v a l l c l i t y
b y t h e f u t u r e p r e s i d i n g ~ u d g e t o b e m a t e r i a l he s h o u l d conslci.cr!.
. . - ,--

I

- X -

I t s admission vou ld depend on a number o i m a t t e r s , 1 n c l u d j n z
I ts f o r m , a n d h i s I l o n o u r ' s o r d c r c o u l d n o t f o r e c l o s c a r g u m c r l t

a s t o e v i d e n c e

a d m l s s i b i l l t y

a t

t h a t

s t a g e .

W r t h c r

c v ~ d c n c r ,

o r

o f a d l f f c r c n t n a t u r c , may we l l b c a d m l s s l b l e . A
c o n f l l c r o f t e s t i m o n y m i g h t a r i s e . 111s I-lonour 's o r J c r xL.as
a p r o c e d u r a l s t e p i n t h e p r o c c e d i n g s , ~ ~ t l l o u t f 1 n a 1 1 t y . I t
w a s I n t e n d e d t o h e l p t h e p a r t i c s I n t h e p r e p a r n t l o n o f t h c l r
c a s e s a n d h a s d o u b t l e s s d o n e s o . But n c l t h e r can a p p e a l 3i
t h i s s t a g e .
The a b s t r a c t n a t u r c o f t h e q u e s t l o n v#as e m p h ~ s i s c d
i n a r g u m e n t b y t h e f a c t t h a t a l t h o u g h i n v l t e d t o do s o , n c l t h c r
c o u n s e l s o u g h t t o c x a m i n c c l o s e l y b e f o r e 11s t h e t c r m s o f t h c
w a r r a n t o r how c o n s i s t e n t I t h-as w l t h t h c s t a t u t o r y g r a n t
o f power undcr which i t 1 s s a l d t o h a v e b e e n ~ s s u c d . The
q u e s t i o n p o s e d h a s b e e n e x t r a c t e d from t h e c v l t l e n c e ~n t h e
case; it d o e s n o t come b e f o r e u s a s p a r t o f a s t a t c l l c a s c
( s e e s .21 (1 ) o f the Supreme Cour t Act 1 9 7 9 ; cf Spratt v Ilermes -
(1965) 1 1 4 CLK 2 2 6 ) ; and even a s t a t e d c a s e x o u l d havc t o J e a l
w i t h u l t i m a t e f a c t s .
T h e o r d e r i n q u e s t l o n w a s made by h i s Honour a f t e r

-

hearing argument a t some l e n g t h , m a l n l y as t o c h a t c o n s t l t u t c s
t h e " r e c o r d " f o r t h c p u r p o s e s o f c e r t l o r a r i . B e c a u s e t h i 5 1 s l
l
a c a s e w h i c h a d m j t t e d l y i n v o l v c s t h c J u r i s d i c t l o n o f t h c
m a g i s t r a t e ( s i t t i n g a s a Justice o f t h c p e a c e ) t h e a s c e r t a l n m e n t
o f w h a t constitutes t h e r e c o r d d o e s n o t t a k e o n thc s l g n l f l c a n c e
i t h a s when t h e s o l e q u e s t l o n i s one o i e r r o r o f law on th r
f a c e o f t h e r e c o r d . T h i s l a t t e r b a s i s f o r c e r t i o r a r i h a s h a d
a d i f f e r e n t h i s t o r y from tha t re la t ing to absence of
j u r i s d i c t i o n , and the extent of the mater ia ls which may be
examined f o r e r r o r o f law has been the subJect of much
discussion and difference of opinion ( s e e ",Principles of
Aus t ra l ian Adminis t ra t ive Law" 'Whitmore 5th edn. (1980)
pp . 174-178). I n a case such as the p resent , i f the p rosecuror
i s success fu l , t he e f f ec t ive pa r t of t h e o r d e r w i l l be tha t t he
warrant be quashed It may be that for sove purposes the
record w i l l i n c l u d e t h e a f f i d a v i t ( i f any) l ead ing to the
war ran t , o r some note of the "evidence on oath" kept by t h e
magis t ra te , bu t i t is confusing and as a genera l p ropos i t ion
wrong to say that: only the "record" can be looked a t , j t i s
we l l e s t ab l i shed by many a u t h o r i t i e s t h a t i f n e c e s s a r y
evidence can be received i n the ce r t io ra r i p roceed ings which
goes t o show want of j u r i sd i c t ion . Ha l sbury ' s Laws of
' England, 4th edi t ion, Vol . 11, pa ra . 1559 s t a t e s t h e law as
follows
"Where c e r t i o r a r i i s sought on the ground
of e r ror of law on the face of the record,
the cour t w i l l not admit any extraneous
evidence the error must be apparent from
t h e r e c o r d i t s e l f . Where c e r t i o r a r i i s
sought on the ground of absence or
excess j u r i sd i c t ion , -b l a s o f by i n t e r e s t , ..

f r aud o r b reach o f na tu ra l j u s t i ce ,

extraneous evidence of these matters w i l l
be admissible, and indeed necessary, i f they
are not apparent on the face of the record."

The warrant i s i n a s tandard form, apparent ly

prepared for use under other legis la t ion There are a
number of e r r o r s i n i t , and in the middle , where reference is made
- 1 0
t o t h c o f f e n c e , 1 t i s j u m b l c d . S e c t l o n 305 o f t h e C r l r a ~ n a l
Law C o n s o l i d a t l o n Act and Ord lnancc 1 8 7 6 - 1 9 6 0 , k h l c h i s
r e f c r r e d t o , r c l a t e s t o t h e m a l l c l o u s p b 1 1 ( . a t l o n c r :j
d e f a m a t o r y l l b e l , k n o h l n g t h c same t o b e ialbc, and ~ : o t
slmply " d c f a m a t o r y l i b e l " , a s 5 t a t c d I n t h e h a r r a n t . I;'heren\
s . 2 0 ( b ) o f t h c L r l m l n n l I.ah and T'roccdurc .Act r e f e r s t o
e v l d e n c c o n o a t h , t h c h a r r a n t r c t c r s t n ~- J n f o r m d t J u n on oat;^. .-.
l h e s u h - s e c t 1 0 1 1 r c f r r s t o r c n s o n a l ~ l e q ~ o u n d s for h c l l e ~ - i n ~ : .~
t h e p r e s c n c e o f goods i n c e r t a l n p r c ~ n l s e s , b u t t h c ! \ . j r r n n t
s a y s t h e j u s t i c e o f t h c p e a c e had r c a s o n n b l c ground f o r
s u s p e c t i n q t h e l r p r e s e n c e t h c r c . K h l l e b e l l e f 1x1)- bc
r e g a r d e d a s e n c o m F a s s l n g s u s p l c l o n , i n t h e a b s e n c c o f a
s p e c l a l c o n t e n t t h e r e v e r s e 1 s n o t t r u e ( s c e S h o r t e r OuiorLl
English D i c t l o n a r y ; 3 r d E h . pp 3 6 5 , 2 3 0 4 , 1 0 Corpus J u r ~ s
Secundum p . 3 3 8 and c f . G.11. Pho tograph) - P ty . L td . v . > ! c C a r r ~ g l ~ .
(1974) 2 NSNLR G35 a t 6 4 3 ) .
I t 1 s f o r t h e t r l a l J U ~ ~ C t o d c c i d e w h a t e f f e c t , 1;
a n y , t h e s e e r r o r s a n d v a r ~ a t i o n s h n v c o n t h c ~ a l l d ~ t : o f t h e
w a r r a n t . We r e f e r t o t h e m a t t e r f o r t h r e e r e a s o n 5 . Thc
a r g u m e n t b e f o r e u s assumed thaJ t he h a r r a n t \cas va l l r l and
r e g u l a r o n I t s f a c c ; t h i s \ \as t h e - f o u n d a t l o n o f t h e ar:umcnL o n
b e h a l f o f t h e A t t o r n c y - G c n c r a l . A s \ b e h a v e s a l d , t h c m a t t c r
was n o t a r g u e d . The f a c t 1 s t h a t , h a v l n g b e e n ~ s s u c d b y a n
I n f e r i o r t r l b u n a l o r a u t h o r l t y , t h c h a r r a n t m u s t show juris-
d i c t i o n o n I t s f a c e ; ( G o s s c t t v Hohard ( 1 8 4 7 ) 1 0 QB 359 and
see Ylrrell v Y l r r e l l (1939) G2 C1 K 2 8 7 c s p c c i a l l v a t 3 9 8 , 3 0 7 - S ) :
In t h e a b s e n c e o f s p e c l a l s t a t u t o r y p r o v i s l o n r e g u l a l i t y 1 s n o t
a s s u m e d . I f i t d o e s n o t show j u r i s d i c t i o q I t IS i n v a l l d .

i

o f

j

the warrant, because i t does p u r p o r t t o sllok conlpl iance I
wl th the requirements o f S . 10(b) . T l n r d , t h c l a c t t h a t ~t 1 s I
r e g u l a r on I t s f n c c does not cscluclc ex-idencc go l r lg t o s h o ~
absence o f ~ u r i s d i c t l o n ; i t folloh-s frol!) h1i:lt has
a l r c a d y been s a d tha t an assertion 01 t h c e s ~ s t c n c e o f
~ u r ~ s d l c t l o n i s not concluslve.
\Fe arc> 01 t hc view t h a t t h e appedl <hould h e
dlsmlssed with c o s t s , and we so o r d c r .
.
Details
AGLC
Attorney General for the Northern Territory of Australia v The Queen & John Richard Tomlinson [1981] FCA 28
Case
[1981] FCA 28
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The Attorney-General for the Northern Territory of Australia (appellant) appeals against an interlocutory order made by his Honour Mr. Justice Muirhead on 2 December 1980. On 20 March 1980, a search warrant was issued by Mr. G.P. Galvin, Chief Stipendiary Magistrate for the Northern Territory, in purported reliance on the Criminal Law and Procedure Act of the Northern Territory, s.10(b). Section 10(b) states that if a Justice of the Peace is satisfied by evidence on oath, whether orally or by affidavit, that there are reasonable grounds for believing that there is in certain premises or a vehicle, vessel, aircraft or place...any thing as to which there are reasonable grounds for believing that it will afford evidence as to the commission of such an offence. The warrant in terms permitted for seizure of any video tape depicting the arrest of Leo O'Connor in Yumara on certain incidents occurred 10 February 1976. Thereafter, on the same day, at 11:00 AM when police officers, relying on the warrant, seized copies of video tape from John Richard Tomlinson (respondent). On 22 July 1980, three complaints and an indictable were laid on oath against the said respondent and summonses served on him in respect of them. Two of the said complaints are set out in a later placed before us as follows: (The Respondent...On the 20th day of March 1980 at Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia...resisted a member of the Police Force in the execution of his duty contrary to Section 158 of the Police Administration Act...AND FURTHER on the 20th day of March 1980 at Darwin obstructed a member of the Police Force in the execution of his duty. Contrary to Section 159 of the Police Administration Act." The legal issues the court was required to decide were whether the court should consider evidence beyond the warrant itself when deciding the validity of a search warrant, and whether the order under appeal was a "judgment" within the meaning of the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976, s.24(1). The court found that the question posed was premature and abstract, and that such questions should not be decided. It held that the order in question was a procedural step in the proceedings, without finally determining what material could be examined by the court which would determine whether the writ would go; it has endeavoured to anticipate the nature of material which might be thought on the question of validity by the future presiding judge to be material he should consider. The court also found that the warrant was invalid because it did not show jurisdiction on its face. The court concluded that the appeal should be dismissed with costs, and it so ordered.

Orders

Orders of the court

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Background

Background to the litigation

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Evidence

Evidence Before The Court

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Decision

Reasons for decision

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Ratio Decidendi

Legal Principle Established

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