High Court cases

This page highlights selected federal constitutional law cases.

It covers -

• 1903
• 1920
• 1945
• 1971
• 1983
• 1992
• 2001

More detailed information about Australian intellectual property cases, primarily in the Federal Court, are here. Background about the High Court and other federal and state/territory courts is provided earlier in this profile.

Individual cases are discussed in works highlighted earlier in this profile. Three points of entry are -

• Australian Constitutional Landmarks (Cambridge: Cambridge Uni Press 2003), a collection of essays edited by HP Lee & George Winterton
• The Oxford Companion to the High Court (Oxford: Oxford University Press 2001) edited by Tony Blackshield, Michael Coper & George Williams
• Australian Constitutional Law & Theory - Commentary & Materials (Leichhardt: Federation Press 2006) by Blackshield & Williams

Other works are highlighted in the discussion of the Court here.

     1903

Dalgarno v Hannah (1903)
HCA 1 (1903), 1 CLR 1 | here

State of Tasmania v The Commonwealth of Australia and State of Victoria (1904)
1 CLR 329 | here

Jumbunna Coalmine, No Liability v Victorian Coal Miners' Association (1908)
6 CLR 309 | here

The King and the Minister of State for the Commonwealth Administering the Customs v Barger (1908)
HCA 43 (1908), 6 CLR 41 | here

Attorney-General for NSW v Brewery Employees Union of NSW (1908) (Union Label case)
6 CLR 469 | here

Krygger v Williams (1912)
HCA 65, 15 CLR 366 | here

     1920

Amalgamated Society of Engineers v Adelaide Steamship Co Ltd (1920) (Engineers Case)
28 CLR 129 | here

The Mayor, Aldermen, Councillors and Citizens of the City of Melbourne v Barry (1922)
HCA 56 (1922), 31 CLR 174 | here

The State of Victoria and Ors v the Commonwealth (1926) (Roads Case)
HCA 48, 38 CLR 399 | here

R v Brislan; Ex parte Williams (1935)
54 CLR 262 | here

Victoria Park Racing & Recreation Grounds Company Limited v Taylor (1937)
HCA 45 (1937), 58 CLR 479 | here

Adelaide Company of Jehovah's Witnesses v Commonwealth (1943)
HCA 12 (1943), 67 CLR 116 | here

     1945

Australian National Airways Pty Ltd v The Commonwealth (1945)
71 CLR 29 | here

The Lord Mayor, Councillors and Citizens of the City of Melbourne v The Commonwealth and Another (1947)
HCA 26 (1947), 74 CLR 31 | here

Bank of New South Wales v Commonwealth (1948)
HCA 7, 76 CLR 1 | here

Australian Communist Party v The Commonwealth (1951) Communist Party Case
HCA 5 (1951), 83 CLR 1 | here

R v Kirby; Ex parte Boilermakers' Society of Australia (1956) (Boilermakers Case)
HCA 10 (1956), 94 CLR 254 | here

Ex parte Professional Engineers' Association (1959)
107 CLR 208 | here

     1971

Victoria v The Commonwealth (1971) (Payroll Tax Case)
122 CLR 353 | here

Strickland v Rocla Concrete Pipes Ltd (1971)
HCA 40 (1971), 124 CLR 468 | here

King v Jones (1972)
HCA 44 (1972), 128 CLR 221 | here

R v Trade Practices Tribunal; Ex parte St. George County Council (1974)
HCA 7 (1974), 130 CLR 533 | here

Attorney-General (Cth); Ex rel McKinlay v The Commonwealth (1975)

Kitano v Commonwealth (1976)
AC 99

135 CLR 1 | here

Attorney-General of the Commonwealth v T&G Mutual Life Society (1978)
144 CLR 161

Sankey v Whitlam (1978)
HCA 43 (1978), 142 CLR 1 | here

McGraw-Hinds (Aust) Pty Ltd v Smith (1979)
HCA 19 (1979), 144 CLR 633 | here

Attorney-General (Vic); Ex rel Black v The Commonwealth (1981) (DOGS case)
146 CLR 559 | here

Koowarta v Bjelke-Petersen & Ors; Queensland v Commonwealth (1982)
HCA 27 (1982), 153 CLR 168 | here

     1983

R v Pearson; Ex parte Sipka (1983)
152 CLR 254 | here

R v Coldham; Ex parte Australian Social Welfare Union (1983)
153 CLR 297 | here

Church of the New Faith v Commissioner of Pay-Roll Tax (Vic) (1983)
154 CLR 120

Commonwealth v Tasmania (1983) (Dams Case)
158 CLR 1 | here

Kioa v West (1985)
HCA 81 (1985), 150 CLR 550 | here

Brown v The Queen (1986)
160 CLR 171 | here

Mabo and Anor v The State of Queensland and Anor (1988)
HCA 69 (1988), 166 CLR 186 | here

Nolan v Minister for Immigration (1988)
165 CLR 178 | here

Cole v Whitfield (1988)
165 CLR 360 | here

Bropho v Western Australia (1990)
171 CLR 1

New South Wales v Commonwealth (1990) (Incorporation case)
169 CLR 482 | here

Polyukhovich v Commonwealth and Another (1991)
HCA 32 (1991), 172 CLR 501 | here

     1992

Nationwide News v Wills (1992)
177 CLR 1 | here

Mabo and others v Queensland (No. 2) (1992)
HCA 23 (1992), 175 CLR 1 | here

Australian Capital Television Pty Ltd v Commonwealth (No. 2) (1992)
177 CLR 106 | here

Cheatle v The Queen (1993)
177 CLR 541 | here

Stephens v West Australian Newspapers Ltd (1994)
182 CLR 211 | here

Cunliffe v Commonwealth (1994)
182 CLR 272 | here

Theophanous v Herald & Weekly Times Ltd (1994)
182 CLR 104 | here

McGinty v State of Western Australia (1996)
186 CLR 140 | here

Kable v Director of Public Prosecutions for NSW (1996)
HCA 24 (1996) | here

Langer v Commonwealth (1996)
186 CLR 302 | here

The Wik Peoples v The State of Queensland & Ors; The Thayorre People v The State of Queensland & Ors (1996) | here

Commonwealth v Mewett (1997)
191 CLR 141 | here

Croome v Tasmania (1997)
142 ALR 397

Kruger v Commonwealth (1997)
146 ALR 126 | here

Lange v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1997)
145 ALR 96 | here

Levy v State of Victoria (1997)
146 ALR 248 | here

Lange v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1997)
145 ALR 96 | here

Kartinyeri v The Commonwealth (1998)
195 CLR 337 | here

McClure v Australian Electoral Commission (1999)
163 ALR 734 | here

Re Wakim; Ex parte McNally (1999)
163 ALR 270 | here

Sue v Hill (1999)
163 ALR 648 | here

The Grain Pool of WA v The Commonwealth (2000)
170 ALR 111 | here

Eastman v The Queen (2000)
HCA 29 (2000) | here

Bond v the Queen (2000)
HCA 13 (2000), 201 CLR 213 | here

     2001

Australian Broadcasting Corporation v Lenah Game Meats Pty Ltd (2001)
HCA 63 (2001) | here

Dow Jones & Company Inc v Gutnick (2002)
HCA 56 (2001) | here

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