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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
INTERPRETATION LEGISLATION STATUTORY INTERPRETATION
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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.