Marsden v Amalgamated Television Services Pty Limited

HIS HONOUR: On 9 March 2000 the solicitors for the plaintiff served a subpoena on the Police Service. That subpoena sought three specific documents in an unedited form. Inspection of the edited documents has taken place.

By affidavit sworn 9 March, Deputy Commissioner Moroney advanced a claim for public interest immunity. In the usual way a confidential affidavit has been sworn by another officer, to which is annexed some confidential exhibits. I have had regard to the contents of the confidential material.

That which the Police Service asserts to be excluded from production falls clearly within an accepted class of material protected by public interest immunity. The plaintiff, conformably with usual practice and the nature of the Commissioner's claim, made no submissions in support of access and in opposition to the claim.

I decline to make any order for costs of the Commissioner, in accordance with the rather confused form of Notice of Motion filed in connection with this application. The only order I make is to decline inspection. The documents produced are returned immediately to the Commissioner.