31:
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test, to the extent that it applied to political communication and read it down so that it did not. What
Coleman said was not insulting as intended to be outlawed by the Act, they reasoned. They accepted that communications alleging corruption of police were protected by the implied right to freedom
211:
Coleman argued he was not guilty of using insulting words because they were political communication and thus protected under the implied freedom of political communication. A magistrate found him guilty, but he then appealed. All subsequent appeals failed to some extent. He then appealed to the High
240:
This meant that a 4-judge majority had ruled his conviction under the VA should be overturned. As the Act had been found valid by all except McHugh J, Coleman's convictions for assaulting/obstructing a police officer were not overturned.
203:
in the
Queensland police force. He was asked to stop by Power, a police officer, but refused. Coleman was subsequently arrested for insulting language, but violently resisted arrest. He was charged with using "insulting words" under the
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of political communication. They also accepted that political communication could include insults. Further, Kirby J noted that insulting words were a well-known tradition in
Australian politics from "its earliest history".
421:
588:
414:
220:
The court held that his conviction under s7(1)(d) of the
Vagrancy Act should be set aside but that the conviction for assaulting/obstructing a police officer should stand.
407:
634:
550:
569:
453:
333:
249:
The case is significant as an iterative step in the High Court's development of
Australia's freedom of political communication doctrine.
225:
445:
430:
180:
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Gummow, Hayne JJ and Kirby J held the impugned section of the VA to be valid, concluded that it would infringe the second limb of the
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test to the extent that it applied to political communication. Rather than read the section down, he declared it invalid altogether.
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The case is also significant as having confirmed the applicability of the constitutional freedom doctrine to state legislation.
629:
619:
285:
624:
507:
373:"The Impact of Coleman v Power on the Policing, Defence and Sentencing of Public Nuisance Cases in Queensland"
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92:
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8:
515:
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98:
531:
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200:
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The conviction for using insulting words should be set aside, and the appeal allowed.
523:
389:
488:
126:
115:
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McHugh J also held that the impugned section infringed the second limb of the
613:
134:
30:
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145:
394:
Australian federal constitutional law: commentary and materials
381:(2006) 30(1) Melbourne University Law Review 191 – via Austlii.
429:
199:. He started handing out flyers in a shopping centre alleging
52:
Coleman v Power, Carnes and
Attorney-General (Queensland)
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as well as assaulting and obstructing a police officer.
551:
Australian
Capital Television Pty Ltd v Commonwealth
611:
415:
195:Coleman was a law and politics student from
635:Rights in the Australian Constitution cases
454:Lange v Australian Broadcasting Corporation
446:Theophanous v Herald & Weekly Times Ltd
334:Lange v Australian Broadcasting Corporation
226:Lange v Australian Broadcasting Corporation
431:Implied freedom of political communication
422:
408:
262:
181:implied freedom of political communication
29:
396:, 1999. LBC Information Services, Sydney.
16:Legal case in the High Court of Australia
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163:(per McHugh, Gummow, Kirby and Hayne JJ)
348:
612:
403:
370:
13:
14:
656:
508:Nationwide News Pty Ltd v Wills
377:Melbourne University Law Review
244:
364:
302:
1:
630:Australian constitutional law
620:High Court of Australia cases
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190:
589:Unions NSW v New South Wales
7:
500:Criticism of the government
215:
10:
661:
580:
561:
542:
499:
464:
437:
179:case that dealt with the
156:
151:
111:
106:
88:
83:
65:
57:
47:
37:
28:
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597:McCloy v New South Wales
185:Australian Constitution
177:High Court of Australia
42:High Court of Australia
625:2004 in Australian law
371:Walsh, Tamara (2006).
313:[2001] QCA 539
93:[2001] QCA 539
543:Television broadcasts
359:[2004] HCA 39
339:[1997] HCA 25
273:[2004] HCA 39
70:[2004] HCA 39
581:Political donations
516:Wotton v Queensland
297:, 1 September 2004
607:
606:
532:Comcare v Banerji
481:Monis v The Queen
361: at para 239.
201:police corruption
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167:
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652:
640:2004 in case law
524:Brown v Tasmania
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61:1 September 2004
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660:
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610:
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570:Levy v Victoria
562:Symbolic speech
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489:Clubb v Edwards
473:Coleman v Power
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355:Coleman v Power
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309:Coleman v Power
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172:Coleman v Power
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24:Coleman v Power
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112:Judges sitting
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48:Full case name
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9:
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645:Vagrancy laws
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465:Criminal laws
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390:Winterton, G.
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341:, (1997) 189
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183:found in the
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152:Case opinions
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245:Significance
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206:Vagrancy Act
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84:Case history
51:
18:
235:Lange v ABC
614:Categories
438:Defamation
295:High Court
256:References
197:Townsville
191:Background
66:Citations
216:Decision
139:Callinan
392:et al.
212:Court.
116:Gleeson
58:Decided
600:(2015)
592:(2013)
573:(1997)
554:(1992)
535:(2019)
527:(2017)
519:(2012)
511:(1992)
492:(2019)
484:(2013)
476:(2004)
457:(1997)
449:(1994)
175:was a
143:Heydon
127:Gummow
123:McHugh
357:
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291:(PDF)
271:
158:(4:3)
135:Hayne
131:Kirby
38:Court
345:520.
319:Qd R
277:220
141:and
99:Qd R
74:220
343:CLR
321:620
279:CLR
101:620
76:CLR
616::
375:.
317:2
315:,
293:,
283:.
275:,
187:.
146:JJ
137:,
133:,
129:,
125:,
121:,
119:CJ
97:2
95:,
72:,
423:e
416:t
409:v
379:.
323:.
299:.
281:1
78:1
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