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Section 57 of the Constitution — The Sixth Double Dissolution

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 January 2025

G.F. Carney
G.F. Carney*
Affiliation:
University of Queensland
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Extract

The events leading up to the sixth double dissolution of the Commonwealth Parliament on 2 June 1987 and the subsequent abandonment of the Australia Card Bill 1986 highlight the difficulties any Federal Government faces when negotiating the passage of controversial legislation through a hostile Senate.

In the light of the legislative history of the Australia Card Bill, I propose to discuss the requirement of “identical bills” in s 57 of the Constitution, the amendments which ajoint sitting may consider and finally, the disallowance of regulations by the Senate with reference to s 57.

Type
Research Article
Information
Federal Law Review , Volume 18 , Issue 3 , September 1989 , pp. 178 - 187
Copyright
Copyright © 1989 The Australian National University

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References

1 There were three Australia Card Bills Nos 1, 2 & 3 each in identical terms.

2 H Reps Deb 1986, Vol 152, 3131 (14 November 1986).

3 Sen Deb 1986, Vol 118, 3762 (10 December 1986).

4 H Reps Deb 1987, Vol 154, 1472 (25 March 1987).

5 Ibid 1054-1060 (18 March 1987).

6 Ibid 1399 (24 March 1987).

7 Ibid 1400 ff.

8 Sen Deb 1987, Vol 120, 1789-1790 (2 April 1987).

9 The correspondence between the Prime Minister and the Governor-General has been published by the Australian Government Publlishing Service: Simultaneous Dissolution of the Sente and the House of Representatives 5 June 1987 1987.

10 Ibid 2.

11 The only previous joint sitting of the Commonwealth Parliament was on 6 and 7 August 1974.

12 H Reps Deb 1987, Vol 156, 193 (16 September 1987).

13 Ibid 572 (23 September 1987).

14 The Prime Minister announced on 6 October 1987 that the Government would no longer proceed with the Bill then before the Senate-see H Reps Deb 1987, Vol 156, 749 (6 October 1987). The Senate resolved that the Bill be withdrawn on 8 October 1987-see Sen Deb 1987, Vol 122,874 (8 October 1987).

15 Quick, J Garran, R R, Annotated Constitution of the Australian Commonwealth (1901) 685Google Scholar; May, Practice of the House of Representatives (1981) 44; Pearce, D, “The Legislative Power of the Senate” in Zines, L (ed) Commentaries on the Australian Constitution (1977) 149Google Scholar; Comans, CK, “Constitution, Section 57 - Further Questions” (1985) 15 FL Rev 241Google Scholar.

16 Infra text at nn 32-38.

17 Cormack v Cope (1974) 131 CLR 432, Victoria v Commonwealth (the PMA case) (1975)134 CLR 81 and Western Australia v Commonwealth (1975) 134 CLR 201.

18 Victoria v The Commonwealth (the PMA case) (1975) 134 CLR 81, 178.

19 (1975) 134 CLR 201.

20 Ibid 237.

21 Supra text at n 20.

22 In August 1930 and April 1931 - see R Odgers, Australian Senate Practice (1976), 581.

23 Government Preference Prohibition Bill 1914 and the Commonwealth Bank Bill 1951 respectively.

24 Cormack v Cope (1974) 131 CLR 432, 455-456 per Barwick C J, 461 per McTiernan J 462 per Menzies 468 per Gibbs J, 469-470 per Stephen J, 474 per Mason J. See also Victoria v Commonwealth (the PMA case) (1975) 134 CLR 81.

25 H Reps Deb 1982, Vol 126, 69 (16 February 1982).

26 Constitution Act 1975 (Vic) s 67 inserted by the Constitution (Duration of Parliament) Act 1984 (Vic).

27 Final Report of the Constitutional Commission (1988) Vol 1, paras 4.682-4.683.

28 This issue is discussed by Comans, C K “Constitution, Section 57 - Further Questions”(1985) 15 FL Rev 241, 246 ffGoogle Scholar.

29 (1975) 134 CLR 81, 179-180.

30 Italics added.

31 Id.

32 Supra n 27.

33 Ibid para 4.674.

34 Ibid para 4.675.

35 Comans, C K, Australian Federal Constitutional Law (1985) 109Google Scholar.

36 Id.

37 (1975) 134 CLR 201.

38 lbid 217.

39 A motion can be made without notice being given if the Standing Orders are suspended - see Odgers, J R, Australian Senate Practice (1976) 457Google Scholar.

40 Ibid 460-465.

41 O'Keefe, P, “Scrutiny of delegated legislation in the Australian Senate” (1988) 69 The Parliamentarian 11l, 111Google Scholar.

42 Ibid 112.

43 Odgers, J R, Australian Senate Practice (1976), 453 ffGoogle Scholar.

44 Ibid 396.

45 (1931) 45 CLR 188.

46 Sen Deb 1967, Vol 33-34, 1966-1967 (20 June 1967).

47 Sen Deb 1970, Vol 44, 1664-1681 (21 May 1970).

48 Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) s 49.

49 Supra n 27.

50 Ibid para 4.650.

51 Id.