New South Wales V Commonwealth (2006)
In New South Wales & Ors v Commonwealth, a majority of the High Court of Australia held that the federal government's WorkChoices legislation was a valid exercise of constitutional power. In essence, the majority (Gleeson CJ, Gummow, Hayne, Heydon and Crennan JJ) found the Constitution's corporations power capable of sustaining the legislative framework, while the conciliation and arbitration and Territories powers were also seen as supporting parts of the law. Further, the majority also held that the legislation permissibly limited State powers and did not interfere with State constitutions or functioning. A minority (Kirby and Callinan JJ) dissented.
The case attracted considerable attention before, during and after the High Court decision was delivered on 14 November 2006. As a legal precedent, it may signify a shift in the distribution of power from the States to the Federal Parliament. Thus, the decision could well be regarded by historians of Australian federalism as an important legal landmark.
Read more about New South Wales V Commonwealth (2006): Background To The Case, The Judgment, Significance and Controversy, See Also
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