FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA Annual Report 2005–2006 © Commonwealth of Australia 2006 ISSN 1035-5863 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted by the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Commonwealth available from AusInfo. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be directed to the Manager, Legislative Services, AusInfo, GPO Box 1920, Canberra ACT 2601. The report was printed by National Capital Printing, 22 Pirie Street, Fyshwick ACT. FEDERAL COURT REGISTRIES Principal Registry Level 17 Law Courts Building Queens Square Sydney NSW 2000 Phone: (02) 9230 8542 Fax: (02) 9223 7706 Email: [email protected] http://www.fedcourt.gov.au Hours: 8.30am-5.30pm Australian Capital Territory District Registry New South Wales District Registry Nigel Bowen Commonwealth Law Court Building Level 16 Law Courts Building Childers Street Queens Square Canberra City ACT 2601 Sydney NSW 2000 Phone: (02) 6267 0566 Fax:(02) 6267 0625 Phone: (02) 9230 8567 Fax: (02) 9230 8535 TTY: (02) 6267 0537 TTY: (02) 9230 8270 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Counter Hours: 10.00am-1.00pm; 2.00pm-4.00pm Counter Hours: 9.00am-4.00pm Contact Hours: 8.30am-5.00pm Contact Hours: 8.30am-5.00pm Northern Territory District Registry Queensland District Registry Level 3 Supreme Court Building Level 6 Harry Gibbs Commonwealth Law Court State Square Building Darwin NT 0800 119 North Quay Phone: (08) 8941 2333 Fax: (08) 8941 4941 Brisbane QLD 4000 TTY: (08) 8982 0838 Phone: (07) 3248 1100 Fax: (07) 3248 1260 Email: [email protected] TTY: (07) 3248 1272 Counter Hours: 9.00am-4.00pm Email: [email protected] Contact Hours: 8.30am-4.30pm Counter Hours: 9.00am-4.00pm Contact Hours: 8.30am-5.00pm South Australia District Registry Tasmania District Registry Level 5 Roma Mitchell Commonwealth Law Court Edward Braddon Commonwealth Law Court Building Building 39-41 Davey St 3 Angas Street Hobart TAS 7000 Adelaide SA 5000 Phone: (03) 6232 1715 Fax: (03) 6232 1701 Phone: (08) 8219 1000 Fax: (08) 8219 1001 TTY: (03) 6232 1865 TTY: (08) 8219 1011 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Counter Hours: 9.00am-4.30pm Counter Hours: 9.00am-4.30pm Contact Hours: 8.30am-5.00pm Contact Hours: 8.30am-5.00pm Victoria District Registry Western Australia District Registry Level 7 Owen Dixon Commonwealth Law Court Level 6 Peter Durack Commonwealth Law Court Building Building 305 William Street 1 Victoria Avenue Melbourne VIC 3000 Perth WA 6000 Phone: (03) 8600 3333 Fax: (03) 8600 3281 Phone: (08) 9268 7100 Fax: (08) 9221 3261 TTY: (03) 9670 0320 TTY: (08) 9325 7053 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Counter Hours: 9am-4.30pm Counter Hours: 8.30am-4.00pm Contact Hours: 8.30am-5.15pm Contact Hours: 8.30am-5.15pm Contact officer for Annual Report Elizabeth Connolly Principal Registry Level 18 Law Courts Building Queens Square Sydney NSW 2000 Phone: (02) 9230 8720 Fax: (02) 9223 1906 Contact Hours: 8.30am-5.30pm An electronic version of the report is available at http://www.fedcourt.gov.au iv Contents Of Annual Report 2005–2006 Chapter 1 Overview Of The Federal Court Of Australia ......................................1 1.1 Establishment ...............................................................................................3 1.2 Functions And Powers.................................................................................3 1.3 Objectives......................................................................................................3 1.4 The Court’s Outcome And Output Structure...........................................3 1.5 The Court......................................................................................................3 Judges ...........................................................................................................3 Appointments And Retirements.....................................................................8 1.6 Registries.....................................................................................................10 Registrar.......................................................................................................10 Principal And District Registries .................................................................10 Officers Of The Court..................................................................................11 Staff Of The Court .......................................................................................11 Chapter 2 The Year In Review................................................................................13 2.1 Introduction................................................................................................15 2.2 Significant Issues And Developments.......................................................15 Ecourt Services ............................................................................................15 Legislative Changes.....................................................................................18 Harmonised Bankruptcy Rules ....................................................................18 2.3 The Court’s Performance..........................................................................18 Workload .....................................................................................................18 Migration Matters ........................................................................................19 Performance Against Time Standards .........................................................20 Chapter 3 The Work Of The Court In 2005–06.....................................................23 3.1 Introduction................................................................................................25 3.2 Management Of Cases And Deciding Disputes.......................................25 Introduction..................................................................................................25 The Court’s Jurisdiction...............................................................................25 Changes To The Court’s Jurisdiction In 2005–06 .......................................27 Amendments To The Federal Court Of Australia Act.................................27 Amendments To The Federal Court Of Australia Regulations ...................28 Federal Court Rules And Practice Notes .....................................................28 Workload Of The Federal Court And Federal Magistrates Court ...............30 Decisions Of Interest....................................................................................32 The Workload Of The Court In Its Original Jurisdiction ............................32 The Court’s Appellate Jurisdiction ..............................................................34 The Appellate Workload..............................................................................35 The Court’s Migration Jurisdiction..............................................................36 The Court’s Native Title Jurisdiction ..........................................................38 Assisted Dispute Resolution ........................................................................42 Management Of Cases And Deciding Disputes By Tribunals.....................44 v 3.3 Improving Access To The Court And Contributing To The Australian Legal System...............................................................................................44 Introduction..................................................................................................44 Practice And Procedure Reforms.................................................................45 Assistance For Self Represented Litigants ..................................................45 Remission Or Waiver Of Court And Registry Fees.....................................46 Remote Hearings..........................................................................................47 Public Information .......................................................................................47 Community Relations ..................................................................................48 Complaints About The Court’s Processes ...................................................50 Involvement In Legal Education Programs And Legal Reform Activities..50 3.4 Work With International Jurisdictions ...................................................50 Introduction..................................................................................................50 Indonesia......................................................................................................50 Asia Pacific Judicial Reform Forum (Apjrf) ...............................................52 Interim Regional Judicial Development Program........................................53 Pacific Governance Support Program..........................................................54 Third Asia Pacific Mediation Forum Conference........................................54 Visitors To The Court ..................................................................................55 Library Services To The South Pacific And Thailand.................................55 Chapter 4 Management Of The Court....................................................................57 4.1 Introduction................................................................................................59 Judges’ Committees.....................................................................................59