Brown (formerly Field) v Human Rights & Equal Opportunity Commission & Anor M55/2000 [2002] HCATrans 17 (15 February 2002)

IN THE HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Office of the Registry

Melbourne No M55 of 2000

B e t w e e n -

SALLY BROWN (formerly MERET FIELD)

Applicant

and

HUMAN RIGHTS & EQUAL OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION

First Respondent

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

Second Respondent

Application for special leave to appeal

HAYNE J

CALLINAN J

TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS

AT MELBOURNE ON FRIDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2002, AT 12.41 PM

Copyright in the High Court of Australia

HAYNE J: The applicant seeks special leave to appeal from an order of the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia dismissing an appeal she had brought to that court. The applicant does not seek to make oral submissions in support of her application to this Court. Both respondents filed a submitting appearance but otherwise did not respond to the application.

By the proceedings which gave rise to the appeal to the Full Court, the applicant sought review of decisions of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission declining to investigate complaints that the applicant had made to the Commission about the Family Court of Australia. The primary judge dismissed her application for review and the Full Court dismissed her appeal. The decision of the Full Court of the Federal Court is not attended by doubt. Accordingly, special leave is refused.

The Court will adjourn to reconstitute.

AT 12.43 PM THE MATTER WAS CONCLUDED