Bradlow v Australian Electoral Commissioner

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Bradlow v Australian Electoral Commissioner [2025] FCA 1172

File number(s):

VID 146 of 2025

Judgment of:

RAPER J

Date of judgment:

23 September 2025

Catchwords:

PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – application for order specifying maximum costs – whether the litigation can be characterised as having “public interest” – where the substantive proceeding concerns whether more than one person can occupy a senate seat within the meaning of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (Cth) – where the proceeding has both public and private interest dimensions – where the applicants are likely to discontinue the proceeding in the absence of a maximum costs order to avoid financial risk – where the proceeding has some complexity – where the case is arguable but not strong –application refused

Legislation:

Constitution, s 7

Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (Cth)

Federal Court Act 1976 (Cth), s 37M

Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth), r 40.51

Cases cited:

Australians for Indigenous Constitutional Recognition Ltd v Commissioner of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission [2021] FCA 435

Caroona Coal Action Group Inc v Coal Mines Australia Pty Ltd [2009] NSWLEC 165; 170 LGERA 22

Corcoran v Virgin Blue Airlines [2008] FCA 864

Hanisch v Strive Pty Ltd [1997] FCA 303; 74 FCR 384

Houston v State of New South Wales [2020] FCA 502

King v Virgin Australia Airlines Pty Ltd [2014] FCA 36

McKay Super Solutions Pty Ltd (Trustee) v Bellamy's Australia Ltd (No 2) [2019] FCA 215; 135 ACSR 278

Oshlack v Richmond River Council [1998] HCA 11; 193 CLR 72

Sacks v Permanent Trustee Australia Ltd [1993] FCA 502; 45 FCR 509

Woodlands v Permanent Trustee Co Ltd [1995] FCA 548; 58 FCR 139

Division:

General Division

Registry:

Victoria

National Practice Area:

Administrative and Constitutional Law and Human Rights

Number of paragraphs:

32

Date of hearing:

15 September 2025

Counsel for the Applicants:

Mr M Seck with Ms L Geddes

Solicitor for the Applicants:

Ms S Price of Women’s Legal Centre ACT

Counsel for the Australian Electoral Commissioner:

Ms J Watson with Ms M Jackson

Solicitor for the Australian Electoral Commissioner:

Australian Government Solicitor

Counsel for the Commonwealth:

Mr P Herzfeld SC with Ms O Ronan

Solicitors for the Commonwealth:

Australian Government Solicitor

ORDERS

VID 146 of 2025

BETWEEN:

LUCINDA CAROLINE BRADLOW

First Applicant

BRONWEN EVELYN BOCK

Second Applicant

AND:

AUSTRALIAN ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER

First Respondent

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

Second Respondent

ORDER MADE BY:	RAPER J
DATE OF ORDER:	23 SEPTEMBER 2025

THE COURT ORDERS THAT:

1.The interlocutory application dated 15 July 2025 be dismissed.

2.The matter be listed for case management hearing at 9:30am on 29 October 2025.

3.The applicants pay the respondents’ costs of this application as agreed or assessed.

Note:   Entry of orders is dealt with in Rule 39.32 of the Federal Court Rules 2011.

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT

RAPER J:

1. The applicants, Ms Lucy Bradlow and Ms Bronwen Bock, jointly sought to nominate as a job-share “candidate” or, alternatively, as job share “candidates” to…