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Whitlam as Law Reformer

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 January 2025

M. D. Kirby
M. D. Kirby*
Affiliation:
Australian Law Reform Commission
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Abstract

In this article Mr Justice Kirby outlines a number of important legal themes in the career of the former Prime Minister. Several issues were identified by him soon after Mr Whitlam entered Parliament and persisted with in Opposition and Government. Some of them led to important legislative reforms. The abolition of appeals to the Privy Council was achieved in part. The establishment of a new Federal Court, long predicted, has now been achieved. Major reform of family law and the establishment of a special Family Court was pioneered with the support of Mr Whitlam. The expansion of Commonwealth interests in commercial and business law coincided with facultative decisions of the High Court. The achievement of a single corporation law and of national compensation eluded the Whitlam Government but may yet be secured. The identification of the need for a new administrative law is instanced as the most original of Mr Whitlam's law reform preoccupations. The new body of Commonwealth administrative law was initiated during his Administration. This paper is a history not an evaluation. But it identifies a number of themes important for continuing law reform in Australia and illustrates Mr Whitlam's persistence, and in some cases successful action, towards achieving reform of the law.

Type
Research Article
Information
Federal Law Review , Volume 10 , Issue 1 , March 1979 , pp. 53 - 79
Copyright
Copyright © 1979 The Australian National University

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References

page 54 note 1 Fraser, Address to the Melbourne Rotary Club, 21 April 1976, mimeo, 1.

2 (1973) 47 A.L.J. 413.

3 Whitlam, “The Constitution versus Labor” Chifley Memorial Lecture 1957, in Whitlam On Australia's Constitution (1977) (hereafter “Whitlam”) 15, 44.

4 Whitlam, “Chifley Memorial Lecture 1975” in Whitlam 193.

5 Whitlam 1.

6 Whitlam, “Reform During Recession” Inaugural T.J. Ryan Lecture 1978, 4.

7 Whitlam, Chifley Memorial Lecture 1975 in Whitlam 196.

8 Cited in “The Constitution versus Labor” in Whitlam 43-44.

9 Cf. the writer's 1978 Deakin Lecture The Dilemma of the Law in an Age of Violence, Melbourne, 1978.

10 Whitlam, Labor Party Policy Speech 1974 in Whitlam 355.

11 “The Constitution versus Labor” in Whitlam 44. The reference to “hordes” was an hyperbole. The number of cases was small. See (1977) 51 A.L.J. 495.

12 H.R. Deb. 1958, Vol. 20, 835.

13 Byers and Toose, “The Necessity for a New Federal Court (A Survey of the Federal Court System in Australia)” (1963) 36 A.L.J. 308, 327.

14 Ibid.

15 Whitlam, Labor Party Policy Speech 1972, in Whitlam 299.

16 (1973) 47 A.L.J. 416.

17 Labor Party Policy Speech 1974, in Whitlam 347.

18 Viro v. R. (1978) 18 A.L.R. 257; Attorney-General of the Commonwealth v. T. & G. Mutual Life Society Ltd (1978) 19 A.L.R. 385; Kitano v. The Commonwealth (1973) 47 A.L.J.R. 757.

19 H.R. Deb. 1975, Vol. 93, 57; Whitlam, “Privy Council Appeals Abolition” in Whitlam 191.

20 Viro v. The Queen (1978) 18 A.L.R. 257; Barwick, “The State of the Australian Judicature” (1977) 51 A.L.J. 480, 486-487.

21 National Employers Mutual General Association Ltd v. Waind, unreported, 19 July 1978 (Court of Appeal, N.S.W.).

22 Opening of Session, N.S.W. Parliamentary Debates (Legislative Council), 15 August 1978.

23 H.R. Deb. 1958, Vol. 20, 835-836.

24 Harlan, “Some Aspects of tbe Judicial Process in the Supreme Court of tbe United States” (1959) 33 A.L.J. 108.

25 H.R. Deb. 1960, Vol. 27, 1317.

26 Id. 1317, 1321.

27 Byers and Toose, “The Necessity for a New Federal Court” (1963) 36 A.L.J. 308. Whitlam's comments are at 327.

28 Ibid. see also id. 357-358.

29 Barwick, “The Australian Judicial System: The Proposed New Federal Superior Court” (1964) 1 Fed.L.R. 1.

30 H.R. Deb. 1971, Vol. 74, 2357.

31 (1973) 47 A.L.J. 417.

32 Labor Party Policy Speech 1974, in Whitlam 347.

33 (1975) 49 A.L.J. 310.

34 Sawer, 'The Whitlam Revolution in Australian Federalism-Promise, Possibilities and Performance” (1976) 10 Melbourne University Law Review 315, 323.

35 E.g., “Warning on Dual Courts” (1978) 13 Australian Law News 3.

36 Whitlam 5.

37 (1959) 33 A.L.J. 124.

38 H.R. Deb. 1974, Vol. 92, 4320.

39 Ibid.

40 Id. 4321.

41 Id. 4322.

42 H.R. Deb. 1975, Vol. 95, 2417.

43 Labor Party Policy Speech 1972, in Whitlam 299.

44 “The Constitution versus Labor” in Whitlam 25.

45 ld. 15.

46 Id. 40.

47 Whitlam, “Labor Policies and Commonwealth Powers” speech to the A.L.P. 25th Commonwealth Conference 1963, in Whitlam 73, 77.

48 (1959) 33 A.L.J. 124.

49 H.R. Deb. 1960, Vol. 26, 158.

50 Ibid.

51 H.R. Deb. 1960, Vol. 27, 1318.

52 Id. 1 June 1960, 2150.

53 Strickland v. Rocla Concrete Pipes Ltd (1970-1971) 124 C.L.R. 468.

54 (1973) 44 A.L.J. 417.

55 (1975) 49 A.L.J. 305, 310-311.

56 Whitlam 5.

57 Id. 5-6.

58 H.R. Deb. 1960, Vol. 27, 2061.

59 (1963) 36 A.L.J. 358; H.R. Deb. 1978, Vol. 109, 2578.

60 (1963) 36 A.L.J. 356-357; H.R. Deb. 1978, Vol. 109, 2359.

61 H.R. Deb. 1978, Vol. 109, 1666.

62 Whitlam 5.

63 (1973) 47 A.L.J. 416.

64 H.R. Deb. 1973, Vol. 85, 522; Labor Party Policy Speech 1972, in Whitlam

65 Id. 523.

66 Labor Party Policy Speech 1974 in Whitlam 347.

67 H.R. Deb. 1959, Vol. 22, 918.

68 Id. 917.

69 H.R. Deb. 1959, Vol. 23, 2195.

70 H.R. Deb. 1959, Vol. 25, 3054.

71 Id. 3055.

72 H.R. Deb. 1960, Vol. 27, 1320. Cf. (1959) 33 A.L.J. 124.

73 (1973) 47 A.L.J. 417.

74 Labor Party Policy Speech 1974, in Whitlam 328.

75 (1975) 49 A.L.J. 311.

76 Whitlam 5.

77 Keeler, “Report of the National Committee of Enquiry into Compensation and Rehabilitation in Australia” (1975) 5 Adelaide Law Review 1214.

78 Sir Owen Woodhouse, “Compensation for Personal Injury 1978” Paper for the 1978 N.Z. Law Conference, mimeo.

79 Report of the Board of Enquiry into Motor Vehicle Accident Compensation in Victoria (Sir John Minogue Q.C.) 1978.

80 Report of the Pearson Royal Commission, Cmnd. 7054 (1978) (3 vols.).

81 “The Constitution versus Labor” in Whitlam 42.

82 H.R. Deb. 1958, Vol. 20, 837.

83 H.R. Deb. 1959, Vol. 23, 2196.

84 (1959) 33 A.L.J. 124.

85 H.R. Deb. 1960, Vol. 27, 1318.

86 Id. 1320.

87 Ibid.

88 ss (1963) 36 A.L.J. 327-328, 357.

89 H.R. Deb. 1971, Vol. 74, 2356.

90 Labor Party Policy Speech 1972 in Whitlam 298.

91 (1975) 49 A.L.J. 311.

92 Not yet proclaimed. The most novel provision is the requirement of s. 13 to provide reasons for discretionary decisions of an administrative character made by Commonwealth officers under Commonwealth law.

93 Brennan, Foreword, Administrative Review Council, First Annual Report 1977.

94 R.R. Deb. 1958, Vol. 20, 836.

95 Id. 838. Cf. H.R. Deb. 1960, Vol. 27, 1317.

96 (1973) 47 A.L.J. 417.

97 (1975) 49 A.L.J. 310.

98 The Law Reform Commission, Complaints Against Police, 1975 (A.L.R.C. 1); Complaints Against Police: Supplementary Report, 1978 (A.L.R.C. 9). Cf. Police Regulation (Allegations of Misconduct) Act 1978 (N.S.W.).

99 Fraser, speech to the opening of the 19th Australian Legal Convention (1977) 51 A.L.J. 343, 344.

page 77 note 1 The Law Reform Commission, Human Tissue Transplants, 1911 (A.L.R.C. 7).

2 The Law Reform Commission, Insolvency: The Regular Payment of Debts 1977 (A.L.R.C. 6).

3 Whitlam 12.