StatutoryInterpretationLAWS314Examnotes

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Introduction………………………………………..………………………………………..……………………..………………..…………….1Legislation………………………………………….………………………………………………………………..……………………..………….1

Thecourt’sroleininterpretation…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..1

Interpretationvconstruction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………1

Historyofstatutoryinterpretation………………………………………………………………………………………………………..1

Legislativepower……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………1Draftingstyles………………………………………….……………………………………………………….……………………………………1PlainEnglishdrafting………………………..…………………………..………………………..……..……………………………….........1Draftingconventions……………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………..2Parliamentaryprocedures………………………………………….……………………………………………………….…………………2

InterpretationLegislation………………………………………….……………………………………………………………………….3Gender…………………………………….………………………………………………………………………………………….………………….3Age…………………………………….……………………………………………………….………………………………………………..………..3Number………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..…..3Distance………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..…………………….3Time………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………..3Meaningofmayandshall………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..……………4Commencement………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..……….4Amendment………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..……………..4Repeal………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………………5Invalidity………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..…………………..5

ContextandPurpose……………………………….……………………………………………………..………………………………….7Contextandpurposeinstatutoryinterpretation…………………………………….……………………………………………7

Context………………………………………..………………………………………..………………………………………..……….……………7Purpose…………………………………….……………………………………………………….………………………………………………….7

IntentionandInterpretativeTechniques……………………………….……………………………………………………….9Intention………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…….……………………..9Interpretivetechniques……………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………….9Readingdown……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….9Straining………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………….9Readingin………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..……………….10Readingup………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………10Ambulatoryordynamicinterpretation………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..……….10

IntrinsicMaterials………………………………………………….…………………………………………………………………………..11Longtitle……………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………………11Shorttitle………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..…………………11Preamble………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..…………………11Objectsclause………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………….11

STATUTORY INTERPRETATION LAWS314

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DeDefinitionsections………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..…………………12Headings………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………….12Schedule………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………….12Notes………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..…….12Punctuation………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..…………….13Examples………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..…………………13Penalties………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..…………………13

Allwordshavemeaning………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………….13Ordinaryandcurrentmeaning………………………………………………………………………..………………..………………...13Atechnicalorlegalmeaningmaybeused………………..………………..………………..………………..……………………15Dictionarymeaning………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………….15Consistentmeaning………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………….15Variantsofwords………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..…..15Limitingwords………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..……….15Hendiadys………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………16Temporalexpression………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..……………….16Commonwordsandexpressions………………..………………..………………..………………..………………..……………….16Whatiftheintrinsicmaterialsareinconsistent,orinconflictwithoneanother?……………………………..16

Conflictingprovisions………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….16

Acttobereadasawhole…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….17

ExtrinsicMaterials……………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………………18Usingextrinsicmaterialstointerprettext…………………………………………………………………………………………..18Usingextrinsicmaterialsforcontextandpurpose……………………………………………………………………………..18Commonlawapproachtoextrinsicmaterials…………………………………………………………………………………….19Whichextrinsicmaterialscanbeused?………………………………………………………………………………………………19Lawreformcommissionreports………………………………………………………………………………………………………….19Explanatorymemoranda……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..19Secondreadingspeeches…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….19Parliamentarydebates…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………20Internationaltreatiesandagreements…………………………………………………………………………………………………20Dictionaries………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….20PriorActs……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..20Repealedprovisions…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….21AmendingActs…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….21Inparimateria…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….21

Victorianlegislation……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………21

CommonLawApproaches…………………………………………………………………………………………..………………….22Commonlawandstatutes………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….22Interpretingastatutewhichcomplementsthecommonlaw……………………………………………………………….22Interpretingastatutewhichreplacesthecommonlaw……………………………………………………………………….22Interpretingastatutewheretherewasnopriorcommonlaw…………………………………………………………….22Developingthecommonlawthroghreasoningbyanalogytoastatutoryprinciple……………………………..22Interpretingastatutethroughreasoningbyanalogytoaprincipleinanotherstatute………………………..22Interpretingastatutethroughreasoningbyanalogytoacommonlawprinciple…………………………………22

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Traditionalcommonlawapproaches………………………………………………………………………………………………….22Literalrule……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………..22Goldenrule………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………………………………..23Mischiefrule………………………………………..………………………………………..…………………………………………………….23Latinmaxims……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….23Noscituasociis…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….23Ejusdemgeneris…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..23Expressiouniusestexclusioalterius…………………………………………………………………………………………………….24Generaliaspecialibusnonderogant……………………………………………………………………………………………………..24Expressumfacitcessaretacitum…………………………………………………………………………………………….…………….24ReddendoSingulaSingulis…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….25

StatutoryPresumptions…………………………………………………………….……………………………………….……………26Legislationdoesnothaveanextraterritorialeffect………………………………………………………………………………26Legislationdoesnottakejurisdictionawayfromthecourts…………………………………………………………………26LegislationdoesnotbindtheCrown…………………………………………………………………………………………………….27Penalprovisionsarestrictlyconstrued…………………………………………………………………………………………………27Remedialorbeneficialprovisionsarebroadlyconstrued……………………………………………………………………..27Taxationprovisionsconstruedtothetaxpayer’sbenefit………………………………………………………………………27Legislationenactingawordorphraseapprovesofitscommonlawinterpretation………………………………28Legislationdoesnotoperateretrospectively………………………………………………………………………………………..28Legislationdoesnotremovepropertyrights…………………………………………………………………………………………28Otherstatutorypresumptions………………………………………………………………………………………………………………29

FundamentalandHumanRights…………………………………………………………….……………………………………….30Non-interferencewithfundamentalrights………………………………………………………………………………………….30

Whatisafundamentalright?………………………………………………………………………………………………………………30

Principleoflegality…………………………………………………………….……………………………………………………………….30Applyingtheprincipleoflegality…………………………….…………………………….…………………………….……………….31Humanrights……………………………………………………………………………………..……………………………………………….31TheVictorianApproach……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….32Commonlawrights…………………………….…………………………….…………………………….…………………………….…….32

InternationalLawinStatutoryInterpretation…………………………………………………………….……………….34Legislativeconformitywithinternationallaw…………………………………………………………………………………….34

Sourcesofinternationallaw……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….35Internationaltreaties………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………35Customaryinternationallaw…………………………………………………………………………………………………...………….35Generalprinciplesoflaw……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..36

InterpretingSpecificInstruments…………………………………………………………….…………………………………….37Delegatedorsubordinatelegislation………………………………………………………………………………………………….37Typesofdelegatedlegislation………….………………….………………….………………….………………….…………………..37Interpretationofdelegatedlegislation………….………………….………………….………………….………………….……..37

Codes…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………38

Quasi-legislativebodiesandsoftlaw……………………………………………………………………………………………….38

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Constitution………….………………….………………….………………….………………….………..…………………………………..38

Otherdocuments………….………………….………………….………………….………………….………………….…………………38Contracts………….………………….………………….………………….………………….………………….………………….………….38Wills…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..39

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Legislation

• Legislationisthepredominantsourceoflawappliedbyjudgesinthecommonlawwords.• Mostlawissetdowninlegislationandcasesinterpretingtheirprovisions,whichiswhylawyersneedadvanced

statutoryinterpretationskills.• Throughlegislation,Parliamentcommunicateswhatitexpectsindividualsandcorporationtodoandrefrainform

doing.

Thecourt’sroleininterpretation

• Primaryresponsibilityofacourtininterpretationisresolvingadisputeoverthemeaningofwords.• Roleofthecourtsislimitedbytheseparationofpowers–canonlyruleonlegislationasitstands.• Acourtcannotimprove,rewriteordevelopastatute.• Courtmustinterpretstatuteinlightofitscontextandpurpose.• Generallytreatstatutesasthesuperiorsourceoflaw(asopposedtothecommonlaw).• Modernapproachtointerpretationisthepurposiveapproach.

Interpretationvconstruction

• Oftenusedinterchangeably.• Besttouse‘interpretation’toworkoutthemeaningofasinglewordorphraseand‘construction’toconstruethe

meaningofawholeprovision.

Historyofstatutoryinterpretation

• 14thcentury–thenotionofparliamentarysovereigntygivingstatutelawsuperiorityovercommonlawcameaboutandcourt’srealisedstatuteswerebindingandthereneededtobeguidelinesforinterpretingthem.

• NewSouthWalesAct1823(Imp)establishedtheNSWSC.• ThefirstChiefjusticehadtoapplycolonialpracticesandcustoms,withoutthebenefitofcoloniallegislation,in

lightofEnglishstatutesandcommonlaw.• AustralianConstitutionsAct(No1)1842(Imp):establishedarepresentativelegislatureinAustralia.• ColonialLawsValidityAct1865(Imp):repugnancydoctrine–anylawsinconsistentwithEnglishlawwerestruck

down.• Repugnancydoctrineappliedupuntil1942atCommonwealthleveland1986atStatelevel.• Upuntilthe1980’sthecourtsfocusedonreplicatingwhatcouldbeexpectedfromanEnglishcourt.• Interpretationlegislationsetuppathforacoherentbodyoflawrelatingtostatutoryinterpretation.

Legislativepower

• Constitutionsarethefontofpowerforthelegislature,executiveandjudicature.• Federallegislativepowersarelimitedtotheheadofpowerins51oftheConstitution.

Draftingstyles

• 2approachestodrafting:• Draftingageneralprovisionandleavingthecourtstodeterminetheapplicationofastatuteandacasebycase

basisembodyingtheprocessesofthecommonlaw;• Draftingadetailedprovisionsoastoprovideaclearandcomprehensivelawthatwillminimisethescopefor

judicialdiscretionandinterpretation.

PlainEnglishdrafting• Inasocietywhereignoranceofthelawisnoexcuseandwherelegaladvicecostsmoneytohavelegislationthatis

incomprehensibleexcepttothoselegallytrained.• PlainEnglishdraftinghasdevelopedasaresultoftheviewthatlegislationshouldbecomprehensibletothe

averageperson.• PlainEnglishdraftingfavoursasimpleandstraightforwardstyle,usinglanguagethatisdirectandfamiliar,getting

ridofunnecessarywordsandavoidinglongandcomplicatedsentences.• Inpractice,itisextremelydifficulttodraftlegislationinplainEnglish.

INTRODUCTION STATUTORY INTERPRETATION

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Draftingconventions• Draftlegislationtakesastandardform.• Actsuniformlycommencewithalongtitleandthewords‘theParliamentenacts’,followedbysubstantive

clauses.• Theclausesmaybegroupedusingheadingssuchas‘Chapter’or‘Part’.• Attheendofsubstantiveclausestheremaybeschedules.• Draftlegislationmustbeintheexactforminwhichitwillbepassed.• Draftersuseavarietyofexpressionstorepresenttherelationshiptowardsdifferententities,peopleorthings,i.e,

‘withrespect’,‘inrelationto’,‘bywayof’etc.

Parliamentaryprocedures

• BillsmaybeinitiatedintheHouseofRepresentativesortheSenate.• Mostbillsaregovernmentbills,asopposedtoprivatememberbills,andareintroducedbytheMinister

responsiblefortheportfoliocoveringthatsubjectmatter.• BillisaccompaniedbyanexplanatorymemorandumsignedbytheMinister,whichexplainstheproposedlawand

summarisesitscontents.• Billsmustbeaccompaniedbya‘statementofcompatibility’thatassessesthelegislation’scomplianceor

interferencewithkeyhumanrightsinstruments.• Variousstagesinvolvedinthepassageofabill:initiation,firstreading,secondreading,referral(tocommittee

etc),adoption,thirdreading,transmissiontootherhouseforconcurrence,billmaybereturnedtohouseinwhichitoriginatedasisorwithamendments,presentedbytheAttorney-GeneralforassentbytheGovernor-General.

• Atthetimeofassent,thebillbecomesanActofParliament.

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InterpretationLegislation

• Inaccordancewiththedoctrineofparliamentarysovereignty,anyrulessetdownbyParliamentprevailoveranyconflictingcommonlawrulesofStatutoryInterpretation.

• Relevantlegislation:• ActsInterpretationAct1901(Cth);• InterpretationofLegislationAct1984(Vic).

• Actsapplyequallytoprimaryanddelegatedlegislation(Vics4&Cths2).• InterpretationActshavetwomainfunctions:• Theycontaingenericprovisionsthatapplytoalllegislationunlessthelegislationspecifiesotherwise;• Theycontaininstructionstothecourtstoconsiderthepurposeofthelegislationand,whererelevant,extrinsic

materials.

Gender• Gender-neutrallanguage–legislationisaddressedequallytopeopleofdifferentgenders.• InterpretationActsprovidethatwherelegislationuses‘he’includes‘she’andviceversa.• CthActs23(a)(Vics37(a)):‘wordsimportingagenderincludeeveryothergender’.

Age• S37ACthAct:‘thetimeatwhichapersonattainsaparticularageexpressedinyearsisthecommencementofthe

relevantanniversaryofthedateofbirthofthatperson’(i.eturn18at12amonthe18thanniversaryoftheirbirth).

Number• S23(b)CthAct(Vics37(c)(d)):‘wordsinthesingularnumberincludethepluralandwordsinthepluralnumber

includethesingular’.• Example:ifaprovisionsaysitisanoffencetodischargea/onebombinasupermarket,itwouldalsocover

dischargingmorethanonebomb.

Distance• WhereanActspecifiedthatsomethingmustbe,forexample,500kilometresfromacertainplace,thisdistanceis

measuredinasinglestraightline,andnotaccordingtodrivingonroadswhichmaybendetc.• S35CthAct(Vics43):InthemeasurementofanydistanceforthepurposesofanyAct,thatdistanceshall,unless

thecontraryintentionappears,bemeasuredinastraightlineonahorizontalplane.Time• Timereferstothestandardoflegaltimeintheplacewherethelegislationapplies.• S37CthAct:‘anyreferencetotimeoccurs,suchtimeshall,unlessitisotherwisespecificallystated,bedeemedin

eachStateorpartoftheCthtomeanthelegaltimeinthatStateorpartoftheCth’.• S22(1)(a)(Vics44):Adaymeansa24hourperiodcommencingamidnight;monthmeansacalendarmonth.• IfanActsayssomething‘applies’atacertaindate,thismeansitstartsat12.00.01onthatdate.• Ifsomething‘appliesfrom’acertaindate,thatdateisexcluded.• S36(1)CthAct(Vics44):

Figure1fromStatutoryInterpretationbySansonpg38

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Meaningof‘may’and‘shall’• S33(2a)CthAct&S45(1)VicAct:‘May’confersadiscretion.• S45(2)VicAct:‘Shall’ismandatory.• ProjectBlueSkyIncvAustralianBroadcastingAuthority(1998)194CLR355,[93]:Whendeterminingthevalidity

ofanactdoneinbreachofastatutoryprovision.‘Abettertestfordeterminingtheissueofvalidityistoaskwhetheritwasapurposeofthelegislationthatanactdoneinbreachoftheprovisionshouldbeinvalid’.

• If‘may’isusedthenitisuptothepowerholderastowhethertoexercisethatpowerornot–thisisnotanabsoluterule,onlyageneralrule.

• Partofthecontextualanalysisgoestoconsiderationoftheconsequenceofapowernotbeingcarriedout,intermsofboththeindividualandthebroaderpublic.

• Morelikelythatadutytoexerciseadiscretionarypowerwillbefoundifthefailuretodosowouldbeunfairorunjustfortheindividual,andofsomepublicdetriment.

• BradleyvCommonwealth(1973)128CLR557:Courthadtodecidewhetherastatutorypowertoprovidepostalandtelephonicfacilitiesconferredadutytoprovidethoseservices.MajoritydeclinedtoaccepttheCth’sargumentthattheprovisionswerepermissiveanddirectory,notobligatorandmandatory,soifsomeone’smailwasnottransmittedordelivered,therewasnorighttoanyredress.

• Whereadiscretionarypowerisgivenbyastatute,itcanbetakenthatthelegislatureintendedthatitbeexercisedreasonably.

• MinisterforImmigrationandCitizenshipvLi(2013)249CLR332:Liwasrefusedaskilledstudentresidentialvisa,andappliedtotheMigrationReviewTribunal(MRT)forareviewofthisdecision.TheMRTdeclinedLi’srequestthattheproceedingsbeadjournedtoallowfortimefortheskillsassessmentbodytoreviewitsownreport,whichcontainedfundamentalerrors.ThreeFederalCourts,includingtheHCA,agreedthatthedecisionwasunreasonable.Whereadiscretionarypowerisconferredbyastatute,itispresumedthatthelegislatureintendedthatdiscretionbeexercisedreasonable,andanyuseofthediscretionthatissounreasonablethatnoreasonabledecision-makercouldhavedonesoisinvalid.

• S25CCthAct:‘WhereanActprescribesaform,then,unlessthecontraryintentionappears,strictcompliancewiththeformisnotrequiredandsubstantialcomplianceissufficient’.

• ProjectBlueSkyIncvAustralianBroadcastingAuthority(1998)194CLR355:ABA,inimplementingastandardthattelevisionmusthaveacertainproportionoflocalAustraliancontent,failedtocomplywithobligationsunderatradeprotocolthatrequiredNZproducerstobetreatednolessfavourablythanAustralianproducers.TheHCAagreedthatthestandardwasinbreachoftheprotocol,butnotinvalid:

• (at91)‘Anactdoneinbreachofaconditionregulatingtheexerciseofastatutorypowerisnotnecessarilyinvalidandofnoeffect.Whetheritdependsuponwhethertherecanbediscernedalegislativepurposetoinvalidateanactthatfailstocomplywiththecondition.Theexistenceofthepurposeisascertainedbyreferencetothelanguageofthestatute,itssubjectmatterandobjects,andtheconsequencesforthepartiesofholdingvoideveryactdoneinbreachofthatcondition’.

• Onemustconsiderwhetheritwasapurposeofthelegislationthatabreachshouldcreateinvalidity.• Ifafindingofinvaliditywouldcreatesignificantindividualorpublicinconvenience,thenitismostlikelynota

purposeofthelegislationthatabreachshouldcreateinvalidity.Commencement• S3ACthAct:AnActcommencesonthe28thdayafterthedayonwhichthatActreceivestheRoyalAssent–now

don'tneedsuchaprovisionineveryAct.• S11VicAct:Providesforcommence28daysafterassent,butissilentaboutadefaulttimeperiod–now

necessaryforcommencementprovisionineveryAct.

Amendment• LegislationusuallyamendedthroughthepassageofanAmendmentActe.gNativeTitleAct1993(Cth)was

amendedbytheNativeTitleAmendmentACT2007(Cth).• Rightsandliabilitiesaccruedunderthelegislationwhileitwasinforcemaystillbethesubjectoflitigationbefore

thecourts,whetherornotlitigationhascommencedpriortotherepeal.• Forminoramendmentssuchasthechangeofthenameofarelevantbody,an‘omnibus’Actmaybeused,in

whichoneActamendsmultipleActs.