Johns v Australian Securities Commission

This matter concerned an appeal to the High Court of Australia, following proceedings in the Federal Court. The appellant, Johns, sought special leave to appeal and appealed against orders made by the Federal Court, which had also made orders regarding costs. The respondents included the Australian Securities Commission, Anthony Geoffrey Hartnell, Albert Edward Woodward, Douglas Gilbert Williamson, The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and the State of Victoria.

The High Court was required to determine the appropriate orders for costs in relation to both the proceedings in the Federal Court and the application for special leave to appeal and the appeal to the High Court itself. This involved allocating responsibility for the costs incurred by the various parties involved in the litigation.

The Court varied its previous order of 13 October 1993. The appellant was ordered to pay the full costs of the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th respondents in both the Federal Court proceedings and the High Court proceedings (including the application for special leave and the appeal). The appellant was also ordered to pay 80% of the costs of the 1st and 3rd respondents in both the Federal Court and the High Court. Subject to this 80% payment, the 1st and 3rd respondents were to pay the appellant's costs of the High Court appeal, excluding costs attributable to issues between the appellant and the 6th and 7th respondents.