Handy v State of Victoria

[2012] FCA 837

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Handy v State of Victoria [2012] FCA 837

Citation:		Handy v State of Victoria [2012] FCA 837
Parties:		MARGARET ELIZABETH HANDY, ROSE FLORENCE MARLENE KIRBY, JOANN MAY MORGAN, KEVIN PEARCE, JUDITH EVELYN WILLIAMS, RAYMOND KENNEDY, BRENDAN MICHAEL KENNEDY AND GREG JOHN KENNEDY ON BEHALF OF THE ROBINVALE ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY v STATE OF VICTORIA and others as per the attached schedule
File number:		VID 6003 of 1998
Judge:		NORTH J
Date of judgment:		23 July 2012
Date of hearing:	23 July 2012
Place:	Melbourne
Division:	GENERAL DIVISION
Category:	No Catchwords
Number of paragraphs:	7
Solicitor for the Applicant:	Mr A Kelly of National Native Title Service Victoria
Solicitor for the Respondent:	Mr J Stephens of Victorian Government Solicitor's Office

IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA
VICTORIA DISTRICT REGISTRY
GENERAL DIVISION	VID 6003 of 1998

BETWEEN:	MARGARET ELIZABETH HANDY, ROSE FLORENCE MARLENE KIRBY, JOANN MAY MORGAN, KEVIN PEARCE, JUDITH EVELYN WILLIAMS, RAYMOND KENNEDY, BRENDAN MICHAEL KENNEDY AND GREG JOHN KENNEDY ON BEHALF OF THE ROBINVALE ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY Applicant
AND:	STATE OF VICTORIA and others as per the attached schedule Respondent

JUDGE:	NORTH J
DATE OF ORDER:	23 JULY 2012
WHERE MADE:	MELBOURNE

THE COURT ORDERS THAT:

1.Leave is granted to the applicant to withdraw the application.   

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

IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA
VICTORIA DISTRICT REGISTRY
GENERAL DIVISION	VID 6003 of 1998

BETWEEN:	MARGARET ELIZABETH HANDY, ROSE FLORENCE MARLENE KIRBY, JOANN MAY MORGAN, KEVIN PEARCE, JUDITH EVELYN WILLIAMS, RAYMOND KENNEDY, BRENDAN MICHAEL KENNEDY AND GREG JOHN KENNEDY ON BEHALF OF THE ROBINVALE ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY Applicant
AND:	STATE OF VICTORIA and others as per the attached schedule Respondent

JUDGE:	NORTH J
DATE:	23 JULY 2012
PLACE:	MELBOURNE

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT

1. The applicant applies for leave to withdraw the application for a determination of native title. 

2. In support of the application, the applicant filed an affidavit affirmed on 19 July 2012 by Anthony Kelly, the solicitor for the applicant, employed by Native Title Services Victoria Ltd (NTSV), setting out the steps taken by the applicant to notify the respondents of their intention to apply for the order.  The affidavit discloses that on 14 May 2012, NTSV wrote to a large number of the respondents seeking consent to the withdrawal of the application (the first letter).  The first letter indicated that if no response was received by close of business on 15 June 2012, then the applicant would assume that the particular respondent did not object to the consent orders proposed. 

3. The active respondents to the application, namely, the State of Victoria, the Latji Latji people, Powercor and Telstra each agreed to the consent orders proposed by the applicant. However, when the matter was first heard on 21 June 2012, it became apparent that the first letter had not been sent to all of the respondents to the application.  Apparently, the addresses of a number of the respondents were not at that time available to NTSV.  Consequently, the matter was stood over to allow NTSV to take steps to contact the remaining respondents and seek their views.   

4. On 22 June 2012, the Court was able to provide NTSV with the contact details of the remaining respondents.  On 26 June 2012, NTSV sent to those remaining respondents a letter in similar form to the first letter seeking the consent of those respondents to the application for withdrawal.  This second letter stipulated that if a response was not received by 18 July 2012, then NTSV would assume that the particular respondent did not object to the orders being made.

5. Orders had been made early in the management of the application to allocate the respondents into 19 groups.  After dispatch of both letters, consents were received in respect of 10 of those groups.  In relation to the remaining nine groups, NTSV received responses from 24 individuals representing four of those groups.  Mr Kelly, who appeared on behalf of the applicant, estimated that approximately 80 individuals had not responded to either the first or second letter.  None of these individuals have been active respondents to the application. 

6. Thus, the respondents who have taken an active part in the application have agreed to the orders sought by the applicant.  In addition, a majority of the party groups have consented to the orders being made.  The remaining respondents have been notified by letter individually or to the group representative. It follows that there is a proper basis on the evidence for the orders sought by the applicant. 

7. The Court will therefore order that the applicant have leave to withdraw application VID 6003 of 1998. 

I certify that the preceding seven (7) numbered paragraphs are a true copy of the Reasons for Judgment herein of the Honourable Justice North.

Associate:
Dated:       8 August 2012

Schedule of Respondents

STATE OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA
STATE OF VICTORIA
LOWER MURRAY URBAN WATER CORPORATION
ROBINVALE DISTRICT HEALTH SERVICE
LOIS ALMA MANLEY
GARY RAYMOND MANLEY
ROHAN J LOY
TREVOR JURY
VINCENZO FOTIA
DALE A FORBES
GERARD CURRAN
PHILLIP CAMERA
ALAN JAMES BRANSON
JENENE WORTHINGTON
LANCASTER WORTHINGTON
FRANCIS WILLIAM SMITH
L G ROBINSON
TIMOTHY BRYCE RICKER
JANELLE GAYE RICKER
PETHARD IRRIGATION COMPANY PTY LTD
PATRICIA MARGARET O'BRIEN
PETER W O'BRIEN
HAPPY VALLEY ESTATE
SAVARIA DELUCA
GASPARE DELUCA
RAYMOND T CUPPER
GENO LUIGI BRIGANTE
WIMMERA MALLEE WATER
SUNRAYSIA RURAL WATER AUTHORITY
ROBINVALE SECONDARY COLLEGE
GRAMPIANS REGIONAL WATER AUTHORITY
JOSEPH FRANCIS HANSFORD
MARY ELLEN HANSFORD
GIUSEPPE ITALIA
KATRINA GERVASI
JOE GERVASI
NEVILLE GARDNER
DOROTHY JOAN EXELL
KEITH WILLIAM EXELL
G J DAX
MARGARET ANN COUSINS
JOHN DAVID COUSINS
PETER M CORCORAN
TREVOR JAMES CHAPPLE
KAREN PATRICIA CHAPPLE
GREGORY ROSS CHAPPLE
CB HOLDINGS (VICTORIA) PTY LTD
M A BEHSMANN
B R BEHSMANN
E S BAILEY
A BAILEY
MAVIS ZANKER
SIGMUND ZANKER
TREVOR GORDON SMITH
N J MITCHELL
S I NICHOLS
F E NICHOLS
P P NICHOLS
P D MITCHELL
N F MITCHELL
MAURICE VALENTINE HARDING
MARGARET JOAN SINAPIUS
BRETT THOMAS SINAPIUS
IAN DODEMAIDE
DIANE COOPER
JEAN MARGARET JOHNSTON
CHRISTOPHER N KATIS
VINCENT KELLY
MICHAEL JAMES KETTS
EDITH FRANCES KETTS
KOKODA PUMPING SYNDICATE
ROBERT RONALD LANGSHAW
BEVERLY KAYE LANGSHAW
MICHAEL B LESLIE
TERI M LESLIE
ROY C MANNION
VERONICA MANNION
WILLIAM FRANCIS MCGINTY
DONNA O'CONNOR
JOHN ROBERT OLIVER
CLARENCE EDWARD PARKER
W D PHILLIPS
S J PHILLIPS
J J PRAGT
M T PRAGT
SCOTT P REDDY
R G O'BREE
P F O'BREE
VERNON ALBERT RIDLEY
SHANE MICHAEL RYAN
ALFRED G SMITH
KATHERINE I SMITH
ALFRED HENRY PATRICK SMITH
DAVID O'CONNOR
HUNT PUMPING SYNDICATE
ACUTT HOLDINGS PTY LTD
R J ANDERSON
ANNA MARIA ZAPPIA
FERDINANDO ZAPPIA
CARMELA ZAFFINA
PASQUALE ZAFFINA
CYNTHIA JOY WILLIS
RONALD KEITH WILLIS
IVAN MAXWELL TELFORD
BRIGANTE BROTHERS
IAN BOYD
W C BORAM
H H BORAM
BONYARICALL VINEYARDS PTY LTD
BB OLIVES PTY LTD
JACKI BARONE
STEVE BARONE
BARONE M NOMINEES PTY LTD
BANNERTON PIPELINE GROUP
BEVERLY ANNE PORTEOUS
ALAN BAILEY
KYRIAKY ANDRIOLAS
ILIAS ANDRIOLAS
D K ANDERSON
A & L ROMEO PTY LTD
 LINDA JUNE BYE
FRANK CACCAVIELLO
G CAMERA
JOHN JAMES BYE
 T J BUTTON
B L BUTTON
PHILIP BURKETT
BROOKLYN PARK PUMPING SYNDICATE
ANNUELLO PIPELINE GROUP PTY LTD
G CORDOMA
FRANCESCO CORDOMA
STEPHEN J CONNOR
 PETER W CONNOR
CHRIS CONNOR
 ANN CONNOR
A H CONNOR
 COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLES LTD
CLYNTON TOWER PTY LTD
LYNDA MARGARET CHISLETT
GLEN KINGSLEY CHISLETT
J P CHALMERS
D S CHALMERS
RHONDA CATTANACH
DAVID CATTANACH
G CAREY
COLIN L CAREY
CORDOMA NOMINEES PTY LTD (ACN 006 311 173)
SALVATORE CAMINITI
CATERINA CAMINITI
LUIGI CORDOMA
MARIO CORDOMA
ROSARIO CORDOMA
ELLYN ELIZABETH CRAWFORD
PATRICK CURRAN
MARY CURRAN
GEOFFREY ROBERT DAVIES
LEANNE DAVIES
DB MATTHEWS (COLIGNAN) PTY LTD
SALVATORE DENARO
NELLA DENARO
J G DESMOND
SOULINE NOMINEES PTY LTD
D G MITCHELL & SONS
ARTHUR H DIXON
CRAIG DOMAILLE
TRACEY DOMAILLE
BRIAN JAMES ENGLEFIELD
JANINE PATRICH ENGLEFIELD
LEO EDWARD ENGLEFIELD
J ERCEG
M ERCEG
ALEXANDER FISHER
GLENDA FISHER
A D GABY
F M GABY
D GIOFRELLE
R GIOFRELLE
GJK & SC CHISLETT DEVELOPMENTS PTY LTD
GRAPELAND PTY LTD
V GROTTO
RUSSELL JOHN HAMMET
FRANCESCA LAZZARA
HATTAH RESIDENTS WATER USERS ASSOCIATION INC
DONALD HAYDEN
THELMA HAYDEN
RODNEY J HAYDEN
ROBERT JAMES HAYNES
IAN HICKEY
PETER C HIGGINS
ERNEST EDWARD HOCKING
JEANETTE HUME
GRAHAM HAEUSLER
C B IENCO
M A IENCO
ROSS IUDICA
MARY IUDICA
NOEL MARTIN JOHNSON
JANET KAY JOHNSON
JUNCTION NOMINEES (NO ONE) PTY LTD
JOHN KEATING
GRACE KEATING
KOOLOONONG WATER SCHEME INC
KYNDALYN PARK PTY LTD
R LAMATTINA
A LAMATTINA
L I LARKIN
ANTONIO LAZZARA
MADGE LAZZARA
CARMELA LAZZARA
GIUSEPPE LAZZARA
KATRINA ANNE HAMMET
GEOFFREY MCMONNIES
WENDY MCGINNISKIN
ROBERT FRANCIS MCMONNIES
GEOFF MCGINNISKIN
C MCCARTHER
JANETTE RUTH MASON
BRIAN ROBERT MASON
LUIGI MASE
ALDO MASE
MARK SMITH (WEMEN) PTY LTD
BRENT MANNIX
JANETTE MANNA
VINCE MANNA
ROBERT MANNA
DESMOND LOY
BARBRA LOY
LOU FLOWER
JEAN LONSDALE
LILY EMMA LIARDET
ANNA LIAKOS
GEORGINA LIAKOS
ILLIAS LIAKOS
ANTONINO LENZI
PETER LIAKOS
MICHAEL LIAKOS
C PULEIO
R L MCQUEEN
A ROMEO
E ROMEO
NUNZATIO ROMEO
MOYRA J ROWE
S & G SCALORA AND SONS
H J SINAPIUS
G R SINAPIUS
N P SINAPIUS
GRAHAM ROWE
PETER ROGERS
MARION PETERS
GEOFFREY CRAIG PETERS
CAROLYN ANN PAYNE
PETER GRAEME PAYNE
GILMORE JOSEPH PAUL
SINCLAIR ANTICO VICTORIA PTY LTD
OBETZ HOLDINGS PTY LTD
A NATALE
F G NATALE
E MYRIALLAKIS
K MYRIALLAKIS
G MYRIALLAKIS
I MYRIALLAKIS
H N MURPHY
G MURPHY
JEAN MUMFORD
GARY MUMFORD
JEAN M MILLARD
TONY MEZZATESTA
F MEZZATESTA
A MEZZATESTA
MEZZATESTA BROTHERS
S PULEIO
KEVIN SMITH
SOMERSET GRAPES PTY LTD
ANDREW SYLVESTER
K TATE
D TATE
TOL TOL PUMPING SYNDICATE PTY LTD
DONALD TURNER
TWO RIVERS VINEYARDS PTY LTD
WEMEN WATER GROUP
DAVID S WESCOMBE
LYNETTE WESCOMBE
KEN JOHN WESTMORE
ALAN WILLIAM YOUNG
A R YOUNG
E F YOUNG
AUDREY HELEN YOUNG
ROCCO ZAPPIA
ELIZABETH ZAPPIA
A ZARA
JOHN WILLIAM MANNING
AGNES THERESA NEYLAND
TABLE GRAPE GROWERS OF AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
ALICE SMITH
CHARLES MARK NEYLAND
SUSAN E DOMAILLE
VALERIE JOAN BEST
EUSTON CO-OP RURAL SOCIETY LTD
GARY C FARNSWORTH
IRENE E FARNSWORTH
ROBIN JOHN HACKETT
MICHAEL HEALY
RAYMOND HEALY
PATRICK HEALY
GERALD FRANCIS HOARE
JOAN DOROTHY HOARE
PAULINE ANN HOWLEY
ROBERT STEPHEN KNOTT
TERESA IRENE KNOTT
I M LOCKHART
L E LOCKHART
KENNETH ARNOLD MCNEES
ROSALIE DAWN MCNEES
MEILMAN EAST PTY LTD
CHALMERS NURSERIES PTY LTD
MILLIEU HOLDINGS PTY LTD
MARIA GUISEPPE CACCAVIELLO
DOUGLAS MALCOLM BEST
ROGER W DOMAILLE
WENDY ELIZABETH DALTON
GRAEME VICTOR DALTON
LEONARDO CACCAVIELLO
TOOLEYBUC SPORTING CLUB LTD
GREGORY LAWRENCE NEYLAND
ANGELA SCALORA
JILL NEVA BOSUA
I L TYACK
L L TYACK
E V TYACK
B SHALDERS PYRENEES APIARIES
SYDNEY JOHN MATTHEWS
R MCDONALD
E MCDONALD
I J OAKLEY
R K ROBINSON
H S ROBINSON
RUSSELL GERARD
SAM SCALORA
ANTONIA SCALORA
PAUL SCALORA
JACANNA VINEYARDS PTY LTD
CONCETTA (JACK) SCALORA
WILLIAM FRANK SALAU
IAN JOHN SKILLER
TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED
KEITH ALEXANDER
STEVE ALEXANDER
D R DAVIES
HENRY S W DAVIES
MAXWELL GREGG
KENNETH HEARNE
BLAZ MARKOVIC
ROBINVALE PISTOL CLUB
ROBINVALE RIFLE CLUB INC
ROBINVALE 80 SKI RACE COMMITTEE INC
AUSTRALIAN TRAIL BIKE TOURS
FIELD & GAME AUSTRALIA INC
FREDERICK RALPH HARRADINE
POWERCOR AUSTRALIA LIMITED
COLIN MANSELL
BALRANALD SHIRE COUNCIL
CARMELO ZARA