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The common law and international law – a dynamic contemporary dialogue

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Michael Kirby AC CMG
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Abstract

International law, as expressed in treaties and in customary law, is of growing importance in municipal jurisdictions throughout the world. Some barriers to the use of international law in national courts are identified. Occasionally, they include scepticism and even hostility about this body of law. However, the past 60 years have witnessed a remarkable change in judicial attitudes in final courts in most Commonwealth countries.

In the UK, the impact of Europe has helped create an ‘incoming tide’. In South Africa, India and Canada, constitutional provisions have stimulated the change. New Zealand is now affected by its Bill of Rights Act. But, in Australia, none of these forces was available and decisional authority adhered for decades to strict dualism.

The changing pace of utilisation of international law in the UK and Australia are described. In the UK, the Human Rights Act 1998 now consolidates a trend already happening in the courts. In Australia, the Mabo decision in 1992 effectively endorsed the Bangalore Principles on the municipal application of international human rights norms. This paper describes the contrasting case-law. In the foregoing countries, it concludes with a response to criticisms of judicial utilisation of international law and a suggestion of the proper jurisprudential basis that can be identified to sustain a judicial process that is now well advanced in the countries surveyed.

Type
Research Article
Information
Legal Studies , Volume 30 , Issue 1 , March 2010 , pp. 30 - 60
Copyright
Copyright © Society of Legal Scholars 2010

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References

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56. Ibid, at 354.

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65. Higgins, above n 44, at 1273.

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71. See, eg, Tavita v Minister of Immigration (NZ) [1994] 2 NZLR 257 at 266 per Cooke P.

72. Above n 10.

73. Ibid, at 761–762.

74. [1998] INLR 570.

75. Ibid, at 583–584.

76. See Crawford International Law in the House of Lords and the High Court of Australia, above n 28.

77. [2001] QB 667.

78. Ibid at 690. See also at 686 per Simon Brown LJ. Further, see R v North and East Devon Health Authority, ex p Coughlan [2001] QB 213.

79. [2004] QB 811

80. Ibid, at 830 per Simon Brown LJ. See also at 844 per Laws LJ.

81. This principles stems as far back as The Parlement Belge (1879) 4 PD 129, if not earlier.

82. Above n 8.

83. Charlesworth et al, above n 23, at 446.

84. See, eg, Combet v Commonwealth (2005) 224 CLR 494 at 594; Forge v Australian Securities and Investments Commission (2006) 228 CLR 45 at 134; White v Director of Military Prosecutions (2007) 231 CLR 570 at 602–603.

85. (2002) 213 CLR 1.

86. Ibid, at 389.

87. See, eg, Sir Anthony Mason, above n 5.

88. Teoh, above n 11, at 288 per Mason CJ and Deane J.

89. (1949) 77 CLR 449.

90. Crawford and Edeson, above n 29, p 77.

91. Charlesworth et al, above n 23, at 453. See also Shearer, above n 35, p 49.

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110. Ibid, 4 at 422.

111. (1991) 23 NSWLR 304.

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114. Above n 1.

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116. Ibid, at 41–42.

117. Ibid, at 42.

118. Above n 103, at 306.

119. Ibid, at 321.

120. Ibid, at 360–361.

121. (1992) 178 CLR 477.

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130. Mabo, above n 1, at 29 (Mason CJ and McHugh J agreeing).

131. It is also a feature that poses difficulties for other countries, such as Canada: de Mestral and Fox-Decent, above n 20, p 31.

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136. Ibid, at 569 per Kirby P.

137. See above.

138. McInnis, above n 102.

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148. Tavita, above n 15, at 266.

149. de Mestral and Fox-Decent, above n 20, p 34.

150. Speech delivered at the Fiftieth Anniversary of the International Court of Justice, Opening of Colloquium, High Court of Australia, Canberra, 18 May 1996.

151. Sir Anthony Mason, above n 5, at 23.

152. Bingham, above n 3, at 514.

153. Ibid.

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