R v Williams; Ex parte Australian Building Construction Employees' and Builders Labourers' Federation

The applicant, the Australian Building Construction Employees' and Builders Labourers' Federation, sought a writ of prohibition against the respondent, R, to prevent the continuation of proceedings in the Supreme Court of Queensland. The dispute concerned the validity of certain industrial regulations and their application to the Federation's activities. The matter was heard by the High Court of Australia.

The High Court was required to determine whether the regulations in question were validly made under the relevant legislation, and if so, whether they validly applied to the conduct of the applicant. Specifically, the court considered whether the regulations infringed upon the constitutional powers of the Commonwealth or were otherwise beyond the scope of the legislative authority conferred.

The court's reasoning focused on the interpretation of the enabling legislation and the constitutional limitations on state legislative power. It was held that the regulations, in their purported application to the Federation, exceeded the powers conferred by the statute and, in so doing, encroached upon the industrial relations jurisdiction of the Commonwealth, which was protected by the Constitution. The principles of constitutional law concerning the division of powers between the Commonwealth and the States were central to the determination.

The High Court made absolute the order nisi for prohibition, quashing the proceedings in the Supreme Court of Queensland.