Federal Court decision on discovery orders for police misconduct investigations
📌 In brief
In this case, the Federal Court decided on whether certain documents related to police misconduct investigations should be made available for inspection by the applicants. The court ruled that some of these documents are protected under whistleblower laws and cannot be disclosed unless an exception applies.
⚖️ Legal holding
Documents containing information from protected disclosures cannot be disclosed under statutory immunity, while those potentially revealing informant identities are protected by interest immunity.
📖 Technical summary
The court allowed the applicants' motion in part, requiring certain documents to be produced while upholding claims of statutory and interest immunity for others.
📜 Headnote Official document
The court ruled that documents containing information received as part of protected disclosures under the Whistleblowers Protection Act are immune from production unless an exception applies. The decision involved a dispute over discovery orders and public interest immunity in relation to police misconduct investigations.
📚 Full judgment Official document
OUTCOME: Allowed in Part
FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA
Police Federation of Australia v [NAME] [2010] FCA 315 Citation: Police Federation of Australia v [NAME] [2010] FCA 315
Parties: POLICE FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIA and THE POLICE ASSOCIATION v [NAME] and [NAME] number(s): VID 1213 of 2007
Judge: [NAME] J
Date of judgment: 1 April 2010
Catchwords: PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – Discovery – statutory immunity from production – [NAME] interest immunity from production – factors to be weighed PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – Discovery – immune categories – editing and redaction – Jackson v Wells order
Legislation: Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) s 15AB Interpretation of Legislation Act 1984 (Vic) s 35 Police Regulation Act 1958 (Vic) ss 86A, 86L, 86LA [NAME] Protection Act 2001 (Vic) ss 3, 5, 6, 12, 22 Federal Court of Australia Rules, O 15
Cases cited: [COMPANY] v [COMPANY] (1955) 72 WN (NSW) 250 Commonwealth v [COMPANY] & Ors (1980) 147 CLR 39 Commonwealth v Northern Land Council (1991) 30 FCR 1 [NAME] v Secretary of State for Home Department [1983] 1 AC 280 Jackson v Wells (1985) 5 FCR 296 [COMPANY] v [COMPANY] (1996) 63 FCR 408 Police Federation of Australia v [NAME] [2008] FCA 467 Police Federation of Australia v [NAME] [2008] FCA 752 R v [NAME] of West Midlands Police; Ex parte [NAME] [1995] 1 AC 274 [COMPANY] v [NAME] of Victoria (2006) 15 VR 22 Sankey v Whitlam (1978) 142 CLR 1 Taylor v Anderton [1995] 2 All ER 420 [COMPANY] v [NAME] [2006] FCA 116 [NAME] v [NAME] (No 8) [2007] FCA 89 [NAME] [COMPANY] v [NAME] (1980) 41 FLR 175
Date of hearing: 9 September 2009
Place: Melbourne
Division: GENERAL DIVISION
Category: Catchwords
Number of paragraphs: 40
Counsel for the Applicants: [redacted]
Solicitor for the Applicants: [redacted]
Counsel for the Respondents: [redacted]
Solicitor for the Respondents: [redacted]
IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA
VICTORIA DISTRICT REGISTRY
GENERAL DIVISION VID 1213 of 2007
BETWEEN: POLICE FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIA
First Applicant
THE POLICE ASSOCIATION
[NAME] Applicant
AND: [APPELLANT] [NAME]
First Respondent
[NAME]
[NAME] Respondent
JUDGE: [NAME] J
DATE OF ORDER: 1 APRIL 2010
WHERE MADE: MELBOURNE
THE COURT ORDERS THAT:
1. The first respondent by 16 April 2010 deliver to the Associate to [RESPONDENT] in a sealed envelope or other container a clear copy of each of the documents enumerated in Appendix A to the reasons of the Court published this day, other than the documents numbered 54 and 74.
2. The [NAME] respondent by 16 April 2010 deliver to the Associate to [RESPONDENT] in a sealed envelope or other container a clear copy of each of the documents enumerated in Appendix B to the reasons of the Court published this day.
3. The applicants' motion on notice dated 30 July 2009 be otherwise refused.
4. It be declared that the first respondent is not required to conduct further searches for electronic documents stored on Victoria Police "[NAME]".
5. Item 10 of the applicants' list of categories of documents to be discovered by the respondents be deleted and replaced with "The final signed version of the 2006 Agreement referred to in paragraph 76 of the [NAME] further amended statement of claim".
6. The respondents' motion on notice dated 30 July 2009 be otherwise refused.
7. There be a further directions hearing herein on a date to be fixed after the Court has completed its inspection of the documents ordered by paragraphs 1 and 2 above to be produced to it.
8. Liberty be reserved to any party to apply on not less than 48 hours' notice in writing to the other parties.
Note: Settlement and entry of orders is dealt with in Order 36 of the Federal Court Rules. The text of entered orders can be located using Federal Law Search on the Court's website. IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA
VICTORIA DISTRICT REGISTRY
GENERAL DIVISION VID 1213 of 2007
BETWEEN: POLICE FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIA
First Applicant
THE POLICE ASSOCIATION
[NAME] Applicant
AND: [APPELLANT] [NAME]
First Respondent
[NAME]
[NAME] Respondent
JUDGE: [NAME] J
DATE: 1 APRIL 2010
PLACE: MELBOURNE
REASONS FOR
JUDGMENT 1 I have previously published two sets of reasons on interlocutory aspects of this application: Police Federation of Australia v [NAME] [2008] FCA 467, and Police Federation of Australia v [NAME] [2008] FCA 752. I intend that the present reasons should be read in conjunction with the earlier reasons, which will obviate the need to rehearse again the factual background to the proceedings. 2 Now before the Court are two motions on notice, each dated 30 July 2009. The applicants move the Court for orders, so far as is relevant:
1. That the First Respondent produce for inspection by the Applicants the documents listed in Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the First Respondent's Final List of Documents dated 27 July 2009.
2. That the [NAME] Respondent produce for inspection by the Applicants the documents listed in Parts 2 and 3 of Schedule 1 of the [NAME] Respondent's Final List of Documents dated 28 July 2009.
3. That the First Respondent file and serve a supplementary affidavit of documents providing further and better discovery in relation to the documents referred to in paragraphs 17 to 23 of the First Respondent's Final List of Documents dated 27 July 2009.
The respondents, in turn, move for orders, again, so far as are relevant, that; 1. The first respondent is not required to conduct further searches for electronic documents stored on "[NAME]";
2. Item 10 of the applicants' list of categories of documents be deleted and replaced with 'The final signed version of the 2006 Agreement referred to in paragraph 76 of the SFASOC';
3. On or before 11 September 2009, the applicants file and serve a supplementary list of documents in accordance with Order 15 rule 6 and Form 22 in respect of any documents upon which they intend to rely;
4. On or before 11 September 2009, the respondents file and serve a supplementary list of documents in accordance with Order 15 rule 6 and Form 22 in respect of any documents upon which they intend to rely, and in respect of any documents found by the first respondent in the remaining searches described in paragraphs 12 to 21 to the affidavit of [NAME] sworn 27 July 2009;
5. On or before 21 September 2009, the parties make the discovered documents available for inspection…
3 Schedule 1 Part 2 of the first respondent's Final List of Documents is reproduced as Appendix A to these reasons and comprises documents to which I shall collectively refer as the Schedule 1 Part 2 Documents. Those documents have been described in an affidavit by [NAME] [NAME] of the Legal [COMPANY] Department of the Victoria Police sworn 27 July 2009, as "various documents constituting part, or copies of a part, of a Victoria Police investigation file (including electronic copies of documents) contained on the investigation file and diary notes". [NAME] [NAME], touching on several points to which it will be necessary to return, then deposes that;
7. The investigation file was established by the Ethical Standards Department in response to a complaint received by Assistant Commissioner [NAME] in early 2006. The complaint related to alleged bullying in relation to a member of the Victoria Police. The allegations of bullying were capable of constituting breaches of discipline, which in turn fell within the definition of 'serious misconduct' within the Police Regulation Act 1958 (Vic) (PR Act). In June 2006, this investigation was expanded to investigate further allegations of serious misconduct relating to alleged victimisation.
8. Pursuant to s.86LA of the PR Act, if a member of the [NAME] makes a complaint to a member of the [NAME], of a more senior rank, about the serious misconduct of another member (other than the Chief Commissioner), then the WP Act is taken to apply as if the complaint were a 'protected disclosure' made to the Chief Commissioner under Part 2 of the WP Act.
9. In the course of searching for relevant documents, I have caused to be reviewed the documents enumerated in Part 2 of Schedule 1, and I am advised that each of those documents is a document that contains information received in the course of or as a result of a protected disclosure under the WP Act.
10. In the present circumstances, in which the First Respondent is providing discovery of documents in the current Federal Court of Australia proceedings, there is no exception in s.22 of the WP Act that permits the First Respondent to disclose the documents enumerated in Part 2 of Schedule 1.
11. Further, there are documents enumerated in Part 2 of Schedule 1 which disclose the identity of, or are reasonably capable of disclosing the identity of, an [NAME] or a witness to an [NAME] investigation. These documents include records of the relevant complaints, witness statements and briefing notes regarding the status of the investigation. Aside from s.22 of the WP Act, documents of this type are precluded from discovery and inspection because they are subject to [NAME] interest immunity. This is because investigations of police misconduct would be seriously undermined and compromised if informants and witnesses did not have confidence that their identity could be protected if they provided information.
4 The [NAME] respondent, the [NAME], has also filed a final list of documents and has objected to producing documents enumerated in Parts 2 and 3 of Schedule 1 to that list. The documents in Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the [NAME] respondent's list are said to be subject to [NAME] interest immunity while those in Part 3 are said to be irrelevant. As well, documents in Part 3 numbered 24 to 40, and 43, 50, 51, 52 and 54 are claimed to be subject to [NAME] interest immunity. Parts 2 and 3 of Schedule 1 to the [NAME] respondent's list of documents are reproduced as Appendix B to these reasons. 5 The respondents' contention, foreshadowed in [NAME] [NAME] affidavit and put in submissions, is that the Schedule 1 Documents are immune from discovery by s 22 of the [NAME] Protection Act 2001 (Vic) ("the [NAME]"), and, if there be any which are not excluded from production by that provision, by [NAME] interest immunity afforded by the general law. It is convenient to consider first the operation of the [NAME].
The [NAME] Protection Act 2001 (Vic) 6 The purposes of the [NAME], are, by s 1, to encourage and facilitate disclosures of improper conduct by [NAME] officers and bodies, to provide protection to those who make disclosures or who may be affected by disclosures, and to provide for the matters disclosed to be investigated and dealt with. Of importance to the matter currently before the Court is s 22, which prohibits, subject to the exceptions in s 22(1)(a), the disclosure of information received in circumstances which constitute it a "protected disclosure", or where in the information is connected with the "investigation of a disclosed matter". The section provides, in relevant part:
22. Offence to reveal confidential information
(1) A person who obtains or receives information in the course of or as a result of a protected disclosure or the investigation of a disclosed matter under this Act must not disclose that information except for the purposes of—
(a) the exercise of the functions under this Act of the President of the [NAME], the [NAME], [NAME], the [NAME], the Chief Commissioner of Police or a [NAME]; or
(b) any report or recommendation to be made under this Act; or
(c) any report referred to in Part 9; or
(d) any proceedings in relation to an offence against section 60 or section 106 or this section or section 19 of the Evidence Act 1958; or
(e) any criminal or disciplinary proceedings taken against a member of the police [NAME] as a result of an investigation of a disclosed matter by the Chief Commissioner of Police under Part 7.
Penalty: 60 penalty units or 6 months imprisonment or both.
(emphasis added). 7 The term "protected disclosure" as used in s 22 is defined in ss 3 and 12 as a disclosure made in accordance with Part 2. Part 2 (ss 5-10), in turn, relevantly makes provision for who may make a disclosure about improper conduct (s 5) and to whom such a disclosure can be made (s 6). Section 6 provides, in relevant part: 6. To whom can a disclosure be made?
…
(4) A disclosure that relates to the Chief Commissioner of Police must be made to [NAME] or the [NAME].
(5) A disclosure that relates to any other member of the police [NAME] may be made to—
(a) [NAME]; or
(b) the [NAME]; or
(c) the Chief Commissioner of Police.
The operation of Part 2 of the [NAME] is then broadened by s 86LA of the Police Regulation Act 1958 (Vic) ("the P R Act") which, in terms, expands the category of persons to whom a disclosure to which Part 2 of the [NAME] applies may be made. That section provides: 86LA [NAME] Protection Act 2001 applies to certain complaints
(1) If a member of the [NAME] makes a complaint in accordance with section 86L(2A) to a member of the [NAME] of a more senior rank about a member other than the Chief Commissioner, the member receiving the complaint must refer the complaint to the Chief Commissioner.
(2) The [NAME] Protection Act 2001 applies to a complaint referred to in subsection (1) as if the complaint were a disclosure made to the Chief Commissioner in accordance with Part 2 of that Act.
(3) The [NAME] Protection Act 2001 applies to a complaint made by a member of the [NAME] in accordance with section 86L(2A), to the Director about the Chief Commissioner, as if the complaint were a disclosure made to the Director in accordance with Part 2 of that Act.
(4) The [NAME] Protection Act 2001 applies to a complaint made by a member for the [NAME] in accordance with section 86L(2A), to the Director about any other member of the [NAME], as if the complaint were a disclosure made to the Director in accordance with Part 2 of that Act.
8 The combined effect of those statutory provisions is that, where a member of the Victoria Police makes a complaint about a more senior officer, that complaint is, by [NAME] of s 86LA of the P R Act, treated as if it were a complaint made under Pt 2 of the [NAME]. The provisions of Pt 2 of the [NAME] then operate, relevantly, to prohibit the disclosure of information received in the course of, or as a result of, a disclosure made under, or in the investigation of a matter disclosed pursuant to, the P R Act. That being the statutory scheme, it is now necessary to examine the events which have given rise to the present proceedings. 9 The initial information, furnished by way of complaint was, according to Assistant Commissioner [NAME] in his affidavit sworn 30 January 2008, related to "serious misconduct", which is defined in s 86A of the P R Act in these terms: serious misconduct, in relation to a member of the [NAME], means –
(a) conduct which constitutes an offence punishable by imprisonment; or
(b) conduct which is likely to bring the [NAME] into disrepute or diminish [NAME] confidence in it; or
(c) disgraceful or improper conduct (whether in the member's official capacity or otherwise).
On the view taken by Commissioner [NAME], the initial complaint was thus of a type contemplated by s 86L(2A) of the P R Act, which provides: (2A) A member of the [NAME] must make a complaint to a member of the [NAME] of a more senior rank to that member, or to the Director, about the conduct of another member of the [NAME] if he or she has reason to believe that the other member is guilty of serious misconduct. 10 It follows that the disclosure made in the course of making the subject complaint was a "protected disclosure" for the purposes of s 22 of the [NAME], and thereby attracted the application of that section, including its provisions going to penalty. 11 The affidavit of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] also reveals that information related to the complaint has been received by himself and [NAME] [NAME] and [NAME], the officers assigned to investigate the matter, and by the first respondent, in her then capacity as Chief Commissioner. By operation of the mechanism for delegation contemplated by ss 5–6A of the P R Act, Assistant Commissioner [NAME] received the information on behalf of Chief Commissioner [NAME]. It is not disputed, as I understand it, that, pursuant to the same mechanism, the [NAME] just mentioned also received the disclosed information as if it had been received by the Chief Commissioner. 12 It follows, I consider, that the Schedule 1 Part 2 Documents are protected from production by [NAME] of s 22 of the [NAME]. The plain meaning of s 86LA of the [NAME], read with Part 2 of the P R Act, entails that conclusion. If it matters, the same conclusion is reinforced by s 35 of the Interpretation of Legislation Act 1984 (Vic), which is partly analogous to s 15AB of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth). Section 35(a) of the Victorian Act provides that a Victorian statute is to be read so as to "promote the purpose or object underlying the Act". Here, the purpose, discernible from s 22(1) of the [NAME], noted at [6] of these reasons, is to protect both persons who make disclosures and persons "who may suffer reprisals in relation to those disclosures": see s 1(b)(ii). A reading of s 22 of the [NAME] which restricts its operation so as not to protect from disclosure documents produced, or identities disclosed, during or in consequence of an investigation of "serious misconduct" by a "[NAME] officer" would not conduce to the achievement of the express objects of the [NAME]. Such considerations are subsidiary, however, to what I regard as the clearly preferable interpretation of s 22, which is that it protects from disclosure information brought into existence or gathered in the course of making, receiving or investigating a complaint of the kind outlined at [9]-[11] above. 13 It will be apparent that the interpretation of the [NAME] which I favour has the consequence that some of the Schedule 1 Part 2 documents are of such a character, as evidenced simply by their description, that s 22 precludes their production. That applies self-obviously to the written complaint numbered 54 and the witness statements numbered 73 in Appendix A to these reasons. (I assume the witness statements to have been compiled in the course of investigating the original complaint). However, the remaining Schedule 1 Part 2 documents do not necessarily appear from their description to be confined to information obtained or received in the course of, or as a result of, a protected disclosure or the investigation of a disclosed matter within the meaning of s 22(1) of the [NAME]. In that sense, assuming that each such document would otherwise be relevant and production of it necessary as provided by O 15 r 15 of the Rules of this Court, it may be appropriate for the Court to consider each of the remaining Schedule 1 Part 2 documents for the purpose of deciding whether, in whole or in part, the document is not subject to production because it contains information of the kind described in s 22(1) of the [NAME]. 14 That course is frequently taken where some sensitivity attaches to the documents in question as happened with the documents considered by [NAME] J in Jackson v Wells (1985) 5 FCR 296; see esp. at 308. The circumstances of the present case were said by [NAME] [COUNSEL] [NAME], who appeared with [NAME] [COUNSEL] of Counsel for the respondents, to be of the kind indicated by [COUNSEL] J. [NAME] [NAME] went on to note that: In the circumstances of the case, the apparent breadth of s.22 of the WP Act and the sensitivity of information regarding the identity of complainants and witnesses, the respondents' counsel and solicitors have not had access to the documents. Because some of the Schedule 1 Part 2 documents are also subject to a claim of [NAME] interest immunity, I shall return, after examining that ground of exemption from production, to consider how each of the Schedule 1 Part 2 documents should be treated.
[NAME] 15 It may be accepted that s 22 of the [NAME], read with the other provisions to which I have referred,is of broad application and, for the reasons outlined above, precludes the production of the whole or part of many of the Schedule 1 Part 2 Documents. There may be some, however, which on examination will not obviously be caught by s 22, but which are still protected from production by application of the common law doctrine of [NAME] interest immunity which is recognised by O 15 r 17 of the Rules of this Court. 16 It is convenient to set out the statements of principle which bind the Court in giving effect to this claim of immunity. They are to be found in Sankey v Whitlam (1978) 142 CLR 1, where [NAME] said, at 38-9, that: The general rule is that the court will not order the production of a document, although relevant and otherwise admissible, if it would be injurious to the [NAME] interest to disclose it. However the [NAME] interest has two aspects which may conflict. These were described by Lord [NAME] in [NAME] v [NAME] [[1968] AC 910 at 940] as follows:
"There is the [NAME] interest that harm shall not be done to the nation or the [NAME] service by disclosure of certain documents, and there is the [NAME] interest that the administration of justice shall not be frustrated by the withholding of documents which must be produced if justice is to be done."
It is in all cases the duty of the court, and not the privilege of the executive government, to decide whether a document will be produced or may be withheld. The court must decide which aspect of the [NAME] interest predominates, or in other words whether the [NAME] interest which requires that the document should not be produced outweighs the [NAME] interest that a court of justice in performing its functions should not be denied access to relevant evidence. In some cases, therefore, the court must weigh the one competing aspect of the [NAME] interest against the other, and decide where the balance lies. In other cases, however, as Lord [NAME] said in [NAME] v [NAME] [[1968] AC 910 at 940], "the nature of the injury which would or might be done to the nation or the [NAME] service is of so grave a character that no other interest, [NAME] or private, can be allowed to prevail over it". In such cases once the court has decided that "to order production of the document in evidence would put the interest of the state in jeopardy", it must decline to order production.
In a similar vein, [NAME] said, at 48-9: [NAME] privilege involves two principles which are of quite general importance to our system of government and of justice. Such is the vigour and breadth of these principles that each, given its fullest extent of operation, will at its margins encounter and conflict with the other. This case involves just such a conflict and it is with its resolution that the Court has to concern itself.
These principles, stated in their broadest form, each reflect different aspects of the [NAME] weal. Because disclosure to the world at large of some information concerning sensitive areas of government and administration may prejudice the national interest there exists a [NAME] interest in preventing the curial process from being made the means of any such disclosure. At the same time the proper administration of justice, of prime importance in the national interest, requires that evidence necessary if justice is to be done should be freely available to those who litigate in our courts.
See also, generally, the authorities collected in Cross on Evidence (7th Aust. Ed.) at 872 [27025], et seq. 17 The immunity is claimed on behalf of the respondents in two ways. The first, a "contents claim" is made in relation to the investigation file, on the footing that it would be against the [NAME] interest to disclose its contents. The [NAME], a "class claim" is made generally over the various Schedule 1 Part 2 documents on the basis, as it was put in written submissions, that; … there is a strong [NAME] interest in ensuring that improper conduct of members of the police [NAME] can be exposed. This can only occur if people feel that they can make complaints about such improper conduct and/or provide witness accounts of such conduct without reprisals. To the extent that there is information in the documents in Part 2 of Schedule 1 that could identify a complainant or witness, or lead to the identification of such persons, then the Court should require that the contents of those documents not be disclosed. 18 As I understand it, the "investigation file" is no more than a collation in a single file of the Schedule 1 Part 2 documents.
Accordingly, it is unnecessary to consider it separately from the "class claim" made by the respondents in respect of the Schedule 1 Part 2 documents and the documents enumerated in Parts 2 and 3 of the Schedule to the [NAME] respondent's list of documents which is reproduced as Annexure B to these reasons. 19 The primary contention of the [NAME] respondent is that the documents listed in Appendix B as indicated by the description of each of them are immune from production by reason of their relation to "matters of state", i.e. that they are: …subject to [NAME] interest immunity on grounds including that they contain information relating to, or are concerned with, deliberations at the highest levels of government in the [NAME], they are drafts whose release would inhibit the exchange of frank and candid information and advice within government, they would disclose preliminary or draft views which are not determinative of the government's final position, and they may mislead or create confusion in debate in the publicarena. 20 Particular emphasis in that connexion is placed upon the words of [NAME] in Sankey v Whitlam, supra, at 40, where [NAME] said: Of course, the object of the protection is to ensure the proper working of government, and not to protect Ministers and other servants of the [NAME] from criticism, however intemperate and unfairly based. Nevertheless, it is inherent in the nature of things that government at a high level cannot function without some degree of secrecy. No Minister, or senior [NAME] servant, could effectively discharge the responsibilities of his office if every document prepared to enable policies to be formulated was liable to be made [NAME]. The [NAME] interest therefore requires that some protection be afforded by the law to documents of that kind. It does not follow that all such documents should be absolutely protected from disclosure, irrespective of the subject matter with which they deal. 21 The [NAME] respondent then relies upon an affidavit of [RESPONDENT], sworn on 17 August 2009. [NAME] is the Assistant Director, Projects and Research, Justice Policy, in the Department of Justice in the [NAME]. The thrust of that affidavit is that documents 14 to 22 in Part 2 of the list reproduced in Appendix B were made for the [NAME] use of the [NAME] in considering issues surrounding the Victoria Police Bill, or, as she says at paragraph 34 of her affidavit: Documents numbered 14 to 22… are all documents relating to proposed amendments to the PR Act that were being considered by the government at the time. They include documents that record the outcomes of the stakeholder consultation process, including options for the Minister to consider regarding future [NAME] models. Document 23, she deposes, was created for similar purposes by [NAME], an adviser to the then [NAME] of Victoria. 22 In the light of those assertions, it is necessary for the Court to strike a balance between the [NAME] interest in disclosure and the [NAME] interest in the preservation by non-disclosure of a government's ability to function effectively. That is the balance identified by [NAME] and [NAME] in the passages from Sankey v Whitlam set out above at [16]. As well as in Sankey, the factors which bear on striking the relevant balance have been enumerated by a [ADDRESS] of this Court in Commonwealth v Northern Land Council (1991) 30 FCR 1 at 38, as; 1. where the contents of the documents are relied upon, the interests affected by their disclosure eg national security, relationships with foreign governments and unfair prejudice to other parties by disclosure of confidential information; where the impact of disclosure on the [NAME] interest is peculiarly within the knowledge of the Executive, its contentions will be given particular weight;
2. where the class of documents is invoked, the [NAME] interest which immunity for the class is said to protect eg political conventions and governmental processes; in this connection the importance of the convention of collective responsibility and the confidentiality required to support it, particularly in areas of current political debate, will be accorded a high degree of respect;
3. the extent to which the interests referred to have become attenuated by the passage of time or the occurrence of intervening events since the matters contained in the documents or the documents themselves came into existence;
4. the seriousness of the issues in relation to which production is sought eg innocence of a criminal charge or governmental misconduct bearing upon the case;
5. the likelihood that production of the documents will affect the outcome of the case;
6. the likelihood of injustice if the documents are not produced.
23 Mere exposure of government action to [NAME] discussion and criticism will not enliven the immunity, as [NAME] J made clear in Commonwealth v [COMPANY] (1980) 147 CLR 39, where he observed, at 52; It can scarcely be a relevant detriment to the government that publication of material concerning its actions will merely expose it to [NAME] discussion and criticism. It is unacceptable in our democratic society that there should be a restraint on the publication of information relating to government when the only vice of that information is that it enables the [NAME] to discuss, review and criticize government action.
Accordingly, the court will determine the government's claim to confidentiality by reference to the [NAME] interest. Unless disclosure is likely to injure the [NAME] interest, it will not be protected. I consider that, in the circumstances of the present case, [NAME]'s observation applies with equal [NAME] where the discovery of a government document (rather than its publication in the media) is at issue. 24 The [NAME] respondent has stressed, both in submissions and in the affidavits of its solicitors, that this Court ought not to order production of documents where that would inhibit its ability to function as a government, by communicating freely and openly with its [NAME] servants about policy issues. [NAME] [NAME] [NAME] referred, on this point, to Taylor v Anderton [1995] 2 All ER 420, R v [NAME] of West Midlands Police; Ex parte [NAME] [1995] 1 AC 274, and, in particular, [COMPANY] v [NAME] of Victoria (2006) 15 VR 22. In the last-mentioned case, after an extensive review of the authorities, [NAME] said, at 52; … in my view [NAME] interest immunity is restricted to what must be kept secret for the protection of government at the highest levels and in sensitive areas of executive responsibility, governmental function in this context being defined to include the courts and bodies exercising statutory duties and functions in circumstances analogous to the police informer immunity. I respectfully adopt [NAME]'s words as correctly reflecting the principle.
When the Court may inspect documents for itself 25 In the light of all the formulations of the principle which I have noted, it is necessary to decide on which side of the line a particular document falls. In the absence of any more specific information than is afforded by the description of the documents catalogued in Appendix A and Appendix B to these reasons, it may be appropriate to have recourse to the technique proposed by Wilcox J in Jackson v Wells, supra. In that case, [NAME] was dealing with an application for review of decisions by two judges of this Court, acting as personae designatae to issue warrants under s 20 of the Telecommunications (Interception) Act 1979 (Cth). A claim to [NAME] interest immunity was advanced and supported by affidavits described by [NAME] at 305-306. In the course of his reasons, [NAME] went on to make what he called, at 307, "four final comments" about the proper approach to be adopted to such a claim for immunity. Three of those "comments" are relevant here, and may be summarised as follows: · A party to a proceeding is not, where there is a clear [NAME] indication to the contrary, entitled as of right to see documents which have been discovered under cover of a claim of [NAME] interest immunity. A submission to the contrary, [NAME] considered, was based on an inapt analogy with what occurs when documents have been seized pursuant to a search warrant which was the case in Inland Revenue Commissioners v [COMPANY] [1980] AC 952, to which [NAME] had been referred; · When a claim of [NAME] interest immunity is made, it will not ordinarily be appropriate to reveal the contents of the subject documents to a party's legal representatives, because (at 307-8); It involves a number of problems. Without reflecting in any way upon the integrity of any counsel or solicitor, difficulties are likely to arise where counsel appearing in, and advising their clients in respect of, protracted and complex proceedings acquire information which they are not free to use or to pass on to their clients. During the heat of battle an unwitting disclosure may occur. [NAME] and full advice becomes impossible. I am aware of cases in which, for reasons such as these, experienced counsel have declined to receive information which they are not free to share with their clients. It seems to me merely commonsense to conclude that the fewer people who have access to confidential information the less is the risk of unauthorised disclosure. · A claim of [NAME] interest immunity need not be accepted in full; a proper approach, in the appropriate case, is for the Judge before whom the claim is made to peruse for himself or herself the documents for which immunity is claimed. [NAME] considered, at 308, that, in carrying out this exercise, the Judge should; consider for [himself or her]self whether it extended unnecessarily widely, if necessary re-editing the material so as to reduce the extent of restriction on access 26 In my view, it is appropriate to take, in this case, the approach suggested by [NAME] J in [NAME]. I shall therefore direct that each of the documents enumerated in Appendix A to these reasons other than those numbered 54 and 74 be delivered to [NAME] in a sealed envelope or other container to allow me to examine each document to determine whether it is precluded from production by application of s 22(1) of the [NAME] by operation of the doctrine of [NAME] interest immunity. Where it is feasible in respect of a particular document, I shall edit or redact it to preserve the confidentiality of the part or parts which it would be inimical to the [NAME] interest to disclose or which contain information which is the subject of a protected disclosure or is connected with the investigation of a disclosed matter within the meaning of s 22(1) of the [NAME]. 27 A similar course commends itself in respect of the documents enumerated in Appendix B to these reasons, which comprises Parts 2 and 3 of Schedule 1 to the [NAME] respondent's list of documents. Most of those documents, if immune from production at all, will, it seems from their description, derive that character from the doctrine of [NAME] interest immunity. In respect of some, particularly those in Part 3, the Court may decline to order production on the ground that it is not necessary in the sense explained at [34]-[38] below. I shall, accordingly, examine each of the documents listed in Appendix B to determine whether the [NAME] respondent should be ordered to produce it in its original, or in some edited or redacted, form. Those documents ought also, therefore, be delivered to [NAME] in the same fashion as the Appendix A documents. 28 In light of the course which I have just indicated is to be taken, in respect of most of the documents enumerated in Appendix A and Appendix B to these reasons, it is unnecessary to consider the relief claimed by the applicants in paragraph 3 of their motion on notice dated 30 July 2009.
The respondents' motion 29 It is convenient now to turn to the relief sought by the respondents in their notice of motion. 30 The order which is sought at paragraph 1 of that notice is effectively a declaration that the first respondent does not need to conduct further searches of the "[NAME]" of Victoria Police. The respondents' written submissions sought to justify the making of such an order in this way: The basis for the respondent seeking such an order is that this item is oppressive and unnecessary for that drive to be searched. At paragraph 22 of the FRL, as confirmed by the accompanying affidavit of [NAME] sworn 28 July 2009, the "G drive" is a storage area for electronic files widely used by Victoria Police. The task of pursuing searches of that drive is very problematic and there is unlikely to be anyrelevant documentation in it. The relevant passages of [NAME] [NAME] affidavit, to which reference is there made, are as follows: 22 I am informed by [NAME] [NAME], Leading Senior Constable, and verily believe that:
(a) Victoria Police staff are also able to store emails and documents on a shared drive (known as the 'G drive');
(b) Data stored on a G drive is usually shared and accessible to a number of authorised users within a work area;
(c) Searching for data on the G drive is very complex, difficult and time consuming because each individual member of Victoria Police has the potential to have multiple [NAME] (as a member's allocated G drive changes upon transfer or secondment to a different area within Victoria Police);
(d) On average, a member is likely to have had access to at least 5 different [NAME];
(e) [NAME] are also physically located in various locations throughout the state;
(f) Therefore, identifying the location of a G drive for an individual member at any relevant time will require extensive inquiry. As the List of Categories spans a period of approximately five years, these inquiries could take many weeks;
(g) Past experience in relation to G drive data recovery has demonstrated that there are often no records kept in relation to which G drive a particular member has had access to;
…
(i) Victoria Police has been advised by IBM, its information technology service provider, that between 2002 and 2009 there have been approximately 4 different computer operating systems used by Victoria Police (including the current operating system). As a consequence, information stored on backup tapes is encoded differently for each operating system;
…
(k) …in order to restore information from the [NAME], Victoria Police would need to purchase computer hardware and software that was consistent with the appropriate operating system that was in place at the relevant time;
…
31 In deciding whether or not to order production of a particular class of documents or other evidentiary material, the Court is required to have regard, when exercising the discretion conferred by O 15, to the trouble and possible oppression which would be caused to a party required to give production and the detriment to the other side if the documents or evidence of the relevant class are not produced. As Tamberlin J pointed out in [COMPANY] v [NAME] [2006] FCA 116, at [3]; On a discovery application, the Court has a broad discretion and will balance the costs, time and possible oppression to the producing party against the importance and likely benefits which arise to the requesting party from production of the documents: Australian Broadcasting Commission v [NAME](1981) 41 FLR 292 at 295. [ADDRESS] will ensure that in all the circumstances, the litigation is conducted fairly in the interests of both parties, and care must be taken to make sure that there is no excessive or unnecessary discovery: see [COMPANY] [COMPANY] v Nolan[2002] FCA 608. [ADDRESS] has made it clear in Practice Note 14 that it will take a restrictive approach to discovery to ensure that excessive and wasteful discovery does not occur. Practice Note 14 has since been superseded by Practice Note CM 5. However, notwithstanding that change I regard [NAME]'s observations as applying with equal [NAME] to the question of whether the first respondent should be compelled to carry out a further search of the Victoria Police "[NAME]". 32 An additional consideration militating in favour of the relief sought in this respect by the first respondent is that the applicants have not so far given any clear indication of what they hope to obtain from the further interrogation of the "[NAME]". Courts are traditionally reluctant to encourage, by orders for discovery, "fishing expeditions" in which "a person who has no evidence that fish of a particular kind are in a pool desires to be at liberty to drag it for the purpose of finding out whether there are any there or not": [COMPANY] v [COMPANY] (1955) 72 WN (NSW) 250, per Owen J, at 254. See also [NAME] [COMPANY] v [NAME] (1980) 41 FLR 175, at 181-2 and 191. 33 As presently advised, I suspect that a similar reluctance would incline this Court not to require the first respondent to conduct further searches of the Victoria Police "[NAME]". However, had the applicants pressed for such further searches, I would have acceded to the first respondent's request for an order in the terms of paragraph 1 of her notice of motion because I am persuaded the expense and trouble which would be incurred would far outweigh any potential assistance to the applicants' case which they might derive from further searches of the "[NAME]". Though it may ultimately prove superfluous, I therefore propose to make that order, notwithstanding that it was not pressed. 34 I turn next to the relief sought by paragraph 2 of the respondents' notice of motion in relation to item 10 of the applicant's list of categories of documents to be discovered by the respondents. Item 10 seeks discovery of the following category of documents; All documents of
(i) [NAME];
(ii) [NAME];
(iii) The Office of the [NAME] of Victoria and the Office of the Victorian Minister for [NAME] [COMPANY]; and
(iv) [NAME]
In the period 1 October 2006 to 30 November 2006 (inclusive) relating to:
(a) the 2006 Discussions referred to in paragraph 74 of the SFASOC; or
(b) the 2006 Agreement referred to in paragraph 76 of the SFASOC.
In his oral submissions, [NAME] [NAME] characterised as a "sideshow" the matter to which documents in that category are related. He contended that an order for production of such documents was not "necessary", in terms of O 15 r 15. The written submissions on behalf of the respondents approached the matter in this way; This item is unnecessary. Drafts and documents recording pre-agreement discussions add nothing to the applicants' case beyond what the 2006 Agreement might achieve. The relevant allegation implicit in the applicants' pleadings is that over time the first respondent came to resent [NAME] [RESPONDENT] and his activities as a union official and that accordingly her decisions to instigate and later recommence the bullying investigation was at least partly driven by the alleged animosity she held towards [NAME] [NAME]. Part of the relevant factual matrix from which the applicants apparently wish to build their case is that in late 2006 an agreement was made between the [NAME] and [NAME] without the involvement of the first respondent. This was the 2006 Agreement. The facts that the 2006 Agreement was made and made without the first respondent's involvement are admitted by the respondents. Documents recording drafts and/or claims and negotiating positions between the [NAME] and those in Government do not advance that line any further. Indeed, in the absence of any suggestion that [before] she engaged in the alleged prohibited conduct, the first respondent became aware of these documents or the communications contained in them, then the documents fundamentally lack relevance. On that basis, it will be recalled, the respondents' offered in paragraph 2 of their notice of motion to produce, in lieu of documents in the applicant's Category 10, "the final signed version of the 2006 Agreement". 35 In resisting the making of the order sought by paragraph 2 of the respondents' notice of motion, [NAME] [NAME] [NAME], who appeared with [NAME] [NAME] for the applicants, sought to refine the notion of "necessity" as it is expressed in O 15 r 15. He referred to [NAME] v [NAME] (No 8) [2007] FCA 89, where [NAME] said, at [18]; In Trade Practices Commission v [NAME]) [COMPANY] (1995) 58 FCR 426 [NAME] said that O 15 r 15 requires that the Court to be satisfied that an order of the kind referred to in that rule is, at the time when the order is made, necessary "in the interests of a fair trial". He cited [NAME] v [NAME] [COMPANY] [1975] 1 NSWLR 289 at 292. He also referred to Boyle v [NAME] [1979] 1 NSWLR 192 dealing with a similarly expressed constraint in the Supreme Court Rules 1970 (NSW) relating to interrogatories. The criterion adopted in the latter case was whether the order sought was "reasonably necessary for the disposing fairly of the cause or matter". [NAME] J said (at 437):
'The notion of the "interests of a fair trial" and of the "fair disposition of a case" encompasses, in my view, the opening up of a train of inquiry of the kind referred to above which is part of the proper function of discovery.'
[NAME] was referring to discovery rather than the production of discovered documents. Nevertheless, O 15 r 15 applies the same criterion to orders for production of documents. It was so applied by [NAME] in [NAME] v [NAME] (Aust) [COMPANY] [2002] FCA 1045 in which her [NAME] said (at [9]):
'… it is clear that the power of the Court to order that a discovered document be produced for inspection by another party is a discretionary power (see O 15 r 11).'
And added (at [9]):
'What is "necessary" within the meaning of O 15 r 15 is that which is reasonably necessary in the interests of a fair trial and of the fair disposition of the case…'
She cited [NAME] J in Trade Practices Commission v [NAME]) [APPELLANT].
36 In the applicant's written submissions it was contended that the notion of "necessity" conveyed by O 15 r 15 does not require the applicants to demonstrate that production of the Category 10 documents is necessary to prove some part of their case. Rather, the concept is designed to ensure that discovery and production does not impose on a litigant any harsher or more oppressive burden than is required to secure that justice is done; see [NAME] v Secretary of State for Home Department [1983] 1 AC 280, at 308, which was cited by [NAME] in [COMPANY] v [COMPANY] (1996) 63 FCR 408, at 412. 37 I do not regard the authorities invoked by Counsel for the respondents as establishing that, in exercising its discretion to order discovery or production of documents, a court is entitled to have regard to matters going beyond the proof or disproof of some issue which the pleadings reveal as remaining in dispute between the parties. 38 In the present case, I cannot discern from paragraphs 74 to 76 of the [NAME] of Claim how knowledge by [NAME] [NAME] of any documents brought into existence by the persons identified as concerned in the negotiation of the 2006 Agreement could assist in proving the allegations there pleaded and particularised, or avail the applicants' case more generally. I therefore accede to the respondents' motion that item 10 of the applicants' list of categories of documents be amended to read "The final signed version of the 2006 Agreement referred to in paragraph 76 of the [NAME] of Claim".
Conclusion 39 In light of the reasons explained above in relation to the application of the [NAME] and the doctrine of [NAME] interest immunity, I shall order, on the applicants' motion, that the first respondent, by 16 April 2010, deliver to [NAME] in a sealed envelope or container a clear copy of each of the documents enumerated in Appendix A to these reasons other than the documents numbered 54 and 74. There will be a similar order directed to the [NAME] respondent in respect of the documents listed in Appendix B to these reasons. On the respondents' motion, I shall order that the first respondent is not required to conduct further searches for electronic documents stored on Victoria Police "[NAME]" and that item 10 of the applicants' list of categories of documents be deleted and replaced with "The final signed version of the 2006 Agreement referred to in paragraph 76 of the [NAME] further amended statement of claim". The respondents' motion will be otherwise refused. 40 There will be a directions hearing herein on a date to be fixed after the Court has completed its examination of the documents ordered to be produced to it. There will also be liberty to any party to apply on not less than 48 hours' notice in writing to the other parties. I certify that the preceding forty (40) numbered paragraphs and Appendices A and B thereto are a true copy of the Reasons for Judgment herein of the [NAME].
Associate: Dated: 1 April 2010
APPENDIX A Number Date Description 54. 23/02/06 Written copy of the complaint received from the complainants [subject also to PII] 55. 23/02/06 Briefing prepared for the Chief Commissioner 56. 14/03/06 Advice received from [NAME] 57. 14/03/06 Electronic copy of legal advice received from [NAME] 58. 16/03/06 Further briefing for the Chief Commissioner 59. 10/05/06 Copy letter from Assistant Commissioner [NAME] to thePresident and Executive of [NAME]
60. 18/05/06 Electronic copy of draft investigation plan 61. 23/05/06 Draft investigation plan 62. 31/05/06 Investigation progress report 63. 31/05/06 Electronic copy of investigation progress report 64. 09/06/06 Electronic copy of investigation progress report 65. 10/06/06 Further investigation report 66. 10/06/06 Electronic copy of investigation progress report 67. 16/06/06 Further investigation report 68. 16/06/06 Electronic copy of investigation progress report 69. 23/06/06 Further investigation report 70. 23/06/06 Electronic copy of investigation progress report 71. 30/06/06 Further investigation report 72. 30/06/06 Electronic copy of investigation progress report 73. Various Witness statements [subject also to PII] 74. 07/07/06 Further briefings from the investigators 75. 28/07/06 Further briefings from the investigators 76. 28/07/06 Electronic copy of investigation progress report 77. 09/08/06 Electronic copy of investigation progress report 78. 11/08/06 Email from Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 79. 06/09/06 Draft initial investigation report 80. 07/09/06 Email from Assistant Commissioner [NAME] with handwritten notes 81. 08/09/06 Finalised initial investigation report 82. 08/09/06 Initial Investigation Report 83. 08/09/06 Finalised initial investigation report forwarded to the Director of [NAME] on 14 September 2006 84. 14/09/06 Letter from [NAME] 85. 21/09/06 Letter to [NAME] [NAME] [NAME] 86. 25/09/06 Letter from [NAME] [NAME] [NAME] 87. 10/11/06 Letter from [NAME] [NAME] [NAME] 88. 16/01/07 Letter from [NAME] to Chief Commissioner 89. 25/01/07 Letter from Chief Commissioner to [NAME] 90. 23/02/07 Further draft report provided to Chief Commissioner 91. 05/03/07 Chief Commissioner's further reply comment 92. 17/0/06 ? Covering letter from [NAME] to Chief Commissioner 93. 03/05/07 Letters from Assistant Commissioner [NAME] to the complainants and other witnesses [subject also to P11] 94. 11/07/07 Letter from [NAME] [NAME], [NAME] 95. 11/09/07 Letter from [NAME] [NAME] [NAME] 96. 09/11/07 Further outline of the investigation plan 97. 09/11/07 Electronic copy of further outline of investigation plan 98. 27/11/07 Letter received from [NAME] 99. 10/12/07 Status report/update from [NAME] [NAME] 100. 10/12/07 Email from [NAME] [NAME] to [NAME] [NAME] regarding status of investigation 101. 24/12/07 Email from [NAME] [NAME] 102. 31/12/07 Copy final draft briefing sent by [NAME] 103. 01/01/08 Electronic copy of final draft briefing 104. 31/12/07 Copy final draft briefing sent by [NAME] signed by Chief Commissioner 105. 01/01/08 Electronic copy of briefing paper presented to Chief Commissioner 106. Undated Electronic copy of draft letter to [NAME] 107. 08/01/08 Draft letter to [NAME] 108. 23/02/06 Issues cover sheets 109. 23/02/06 Electronic copy of issue cover sheet prepared by Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 110. 10/03/06 Typed note of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 111. 14/03/06 Advice received from [NAME] 112. 16/03/06 Issue cover sheet 113. 16/03/06 Electronic copy of issue cover sheet prepared by Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 114. 16/03/06 Electronic copy of email from Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 115. 17/03/06 Email of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 116. 17/03/06 Email of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] with handwritten notes of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 117. Various Email trail from Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 118. Various Email trail from Assistant Commissioner [NAME] with handwritten notes of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 119. 03/05/06 Copy letter with handwritten notes 120. 10/05/06 Letter from Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 121. 18/05/06 Email regarding meeting with [NAME] 122. 18/05/06 Email of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] with handwritten notes of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 123. 18/05/06 Copy of bundle of diary notes of [NAME] regarding meeting with [NAME] and [NAME] 124. 23/05/06 Major investigation plan 125. 23/05/06 Email of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] with handwritten notes of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 126. 23/05/06 Copy of extract of handwritten diary note of [NAME] [NAME] 127. 23/05/06 Copy of extracted handwritten diary notes of Assistant Commissioner [NAME]. 128. 24/05/06 Copy of major investigation plan with hand written note of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 129. 24/05/06 Draft letter to [NAME] [NAME] 130. 24/05/06 Draft letter to [NAME] [NAME] 131. 24/05/06 Copy of email regarding draft letter to [NAME] [NAME] 132. 24/05/06 Email from Assistant Commissioner [NAME] regarding draft letter to [NAME] [NAME] 133. 24/08/06 Email of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] with handwritten notes of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 134. 24/08/06 Copy of diary notes of [NAME] regarding meeting with [NAME] and [NAME]. 135. 24/08/06 Copy of hand written diary notes of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 136. 14/09/06 Letter from [NAME] 137. 16/11/06 Summons to produce documents 138. 16/11/06 Email of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] with handwritten notes of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 139. 16/11/06 Email of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] with handwritten notes of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 140. Various 3 Statements [subject also to P11] 141. 01/06/07 Copy letter to [NAME] [NAME] 142. 14/07/07 Letter to [NAME] [NAME] [subject also to P11] 143. 11/09/07 Email of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] with handwritten notes of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 144. 11/09/07 Letter from [NAME] [NAME] regarding investigation 145. 11/09/07 Copy of extracted handwritten diary notes of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 146. 11/12/07 Copy of email of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 147. 11/12/07 Copy of email from Assistant Commissioner [NAME] to [NAME] 148. 19/12/07 Copy of email of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 149. 19/12/07 Copy of extracted handwritten diary notes of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 150. 02/01/08 Copy of email of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 151. 02/01/08 Copy of email from Assistant Commissioner [NAME] to Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 152. 08/01/08 Issues cover sheet 153. 8/01/08 Copy of extracted handwritten diary notes of Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 154. 06/05/08 Copy of email trail involving Assistant Commissioner [NAME] 155. 29/11/06 Copy of email from [NAME] 156. 29/11/06 Copy of email from [NAME] [NAME] 157. 30/11/06 Copy of email from [NAME] [NAME] 158. 30/11/06 Copy of email from [NAME] [NAME] 159. 03/05/06 Copy of draft letter from [NAME] to the President and Executive, The Police Association 160. 2006 Copy of bundle of diary notes of [NAME] 161. 10/04/07 Document entitled '[NAME]' 162. Undated Electronic copy of investigation time line prepared by [NAME] [NAME] B
Part 2
Number Date Description
14. 18/01/05 File copy 'Minister's Office', bundle of documents entitled `Victoria Police Bill - Stakeholder Consultation' with attached 'with complements' slip.
15. 19/01/05 Copy of draft document entitled 'Minister's Speaking Notes [DRAFT]'.
16. 24/01/05 Copy of draft letter, not yet sent, to [NAME] [NAME] from [NAME] [NAME] [NAME] regarding 'Victoria Police Bill - Stakeholder Consultation'.
17. 24/01/05 Copy of draft letter, not yet sent, to [NAME] [NAME] from [NAME] [NAME] [NAME] regarding 'Victoria Police Bill - Stakeholder Consultation'.
18. 24/01/05 Copy of draft letter, not yet sent, to [NAME] [NAME] from [NAME] [NAME] [NAME] regarding 'Victoria Police Bill - Stakeholder Consultation'.
19. 24/01/05 Copy of draft letter, not yet sent, to [NAME] [NAME] from [NAME] [NAME] [NAME] regarding 'Victoria Police Bill - Stakeholder Consultation'.
20. 3/02/05 Copy Memorandum and bundle of documents addressed to Minister for [NAME] [COMPANY] regarding 'Victoria Police Bill: Status, outstanding issues and timing'.
21. 8/02/05 Copy Memorandum and bundle of documents addressed to Minister for [NAME] [COMPANY] regarding 'Meeting with representatives of The Police Association'.
22. 05/04/05 Copy email from [NAME] to [NAME] and [NAME] regarding 'issues list' with attachment.
23. 28/09/06 Copy memorandum from the [NAME]'s Justice Adviser to the [NAME].
Part 3
Number Date Description
24. Undated Copy document containing draft clauses for consideration in 'Record of Commitments' letter
25. Undated Copy document containing draft clauses for consideration in 'Record of Commitments' letter
26. Undated Copy document containing draft clauses for consideration in 'Record of Commitments' letter
27. Undated Copy document containing draft clauses for consideration in 'Record of Commitments' letter
28. Undated Copy document containing draft clauses for consideration in 'Record of Commitments' letter
29. Undated Copy document containing draft clauses for consideration in 'Record of Commitments' letter
30. Undated Copy document containing draft clauses for consideration in 'Record of Commitments' letter
31. Undated Copy document containing draft clauses for consideration in 'Record of Commitments' letter
32. Undated Copy draft Letter from [NAME] [NAME] and [NAME] [NAME] to [NAME] [NAME] regarding 'Record of Commitments'
33. Undated Copy draft Letter from [NAME] [NAME] and [NAME] [NAME] to [NAME] [NAME] regarding 'Record of Commitments'
34. Undated Copy draft Letter from [NAME] [NAME] and [NAME] [NAME] to [NAME] [NAME] regarding 'Record of Commitments'
35. Undated Copy draft Letter from [NAME] [NAME] and [NAME] [NAME] to [NAME] [NAME] regarding 'Record of Commitments'
36. Undated Copy draft Letter from [NAME] [NAME] and [NAME] [NAME] to [NAME] [NAME] regarding 'Record of Commitments'
37. Undated Copy draft Letter from [NAME] [NAME] and [NAME] [NAME] to [NAME] [NAME] regarding `Record of Commitments'
38. Undated Copy draft Letter from [NAME] [NAME] and [NAME] [NAME] to [NAME] [NAME] regarding 'Record of Commitments'
39. Undated Copy draft Letter from [NAME] [NAME] and [NAME] [NAME] to [NAME] [NAME] regarding 'Record of Commitments'
40. Undated Copy draft Letter from [NAME] [NAME] and [NAME] [NAME] to [NAME] [NAME] regarding 'Record of Commitments'
41. 12/10/06 Copy electronic calendar entry entitled 'Meeting with [NAME] re: Police issues'
42. 23/10/06 Copy electronic calendar entry entitled 'Meeting with [NAME] re Police Matters (+ [NAME])'
43. 23/10/06 Copy memorandum from the [NAME]'s Justice Adviser to the [NAME]
44. 26/10/06 Copy electronic calendar entry entitled 'Mtg with [NAME] + [NAME] (+ [NAME] + [NAME])'
45. 26/10/06 Copy electronic meeting acceptance from [NAME] regarding meeting entitled 'Mtg with [NAME] + [NAME] (+ [NAME] + [NAME])'
46. 26/10/06 Copy electronic meeting acceptance from [NAME] regarding meeting entitled 'Mtg with [NAME] + [NAME] (+ [NAME] + [NAME])'
47. 30/10/06 Copy electronic calendar entry entitled 'Pre-brief with [NAME] & [NAME] prior to [NAME]/[NAME] mtg at 4:30pm'
48. 30/10/06 Copy electronic meeting acceptance from [NAME] regarding meeting entitled 'Pre-brief with [NAME] & [NAME] prior to [NAME]/[NAME] mtg at 4:30pm'
49. 30/10/06 Copy electronic calendar entry entitled 'For noting only [NAME] mtg with [NAME] 1:1'
50. 30/10/06 Copy memorandum from the [NAME]'s Justice Adviser to the [NAME]
51. 30/10/06 Copy memorandum from the [NAME]'s Justice Adviser to the [NAME]
52. 30/10/06 Copy memorandum from the [NAME]'s Justice Adviser to the [NAME]
53. 06/11/06 Copy electronic calendar entry entitled 'Mtg with [NAME] & [NAME] (Holding)'
54. Various Copy document containing draft clauses for consideration in 'Record of Commitments' letter and/or EBA
📊 How courts decide similar cases
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A snapshot of this collection — not a prediction of your case's outcome.
⚖️ What tends to weigh in cases like this
✅ Tends to be accepted
- Documents containing information received as part of protected disclosures under the Whistleblowers Protection Act are immune from production unless an exception applies.
- A party may be given leave to withdraw a concession made during proceedings.
- The Commissioner has discretion to grant leave to amend under the legislative scheme, but must satisfy all procedural steps.
- A court may issue an interim order to preserve the status quo when there is a risk of prejudice due to potential publication of sensitive documents.
- An appellant is entitled to procedural fairness when judicial review challenges are raised on issues not previously addressed in the initial proceedings.
❌ Tends to be rejected
- A business cannot restrain another from using a geographic name in its trade if it lacks reasonable connection to the claimant’s legitimate interests.
- A plaintiff must have a relevant reputation in the jurisdiction to establish likelihood of damage from misrepresentation or deceptive conduct.
- A claimant cannot obtain discovery or costs on the basis of documents not before the primary judge.
Patterns observed in similar cases in this collection — every case is unique.
❓ Frequently asked questions
What did this decision decide?
The court decided on whether certain documents related to police misconduct investigations should be made available for inspection.
Who was involved?
The case involved a police federation, the police association, and government entities including Christine Nixon and the State of Victoria.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court ruled that documents containing information received as part of protected disclosures under whistleblower laws cannot be disclosed unless an exception applies.
Which laws or rules were applied?
The Police Regulation Act 1958 (Vic) and the Whistleblowers Protection Act 2001 (Vic) were key in determining whether documents could be produced.
What was the argument that mattered most?
The argument centered on whether documents containing information received as part of protected disclosures under whistleblower laws should be immune from production.
Was the decision for or against the person who brought the case?
The decision was partially in favour of the respondents, limiting the discovery orders.
What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?
Someone seeking to discover documents related to police misconduct investigations may face limitations if those documents contain protected information.
What evidence or documents mattered?
The court considered specific documents and their relevance under whistleblower protection laws.
Can a decision like this be appealed?
Yes, decisions of the Federal Court can typically be appealed to a higher court.
Is it worth getting a solicitor for a case like this?
It is highly recommended to seek legal advice from a qualified solicitor for cases involving complex discovery and public interest immunity issues.
