Data source
Date of text
07 Feb 1990
Country
Seat of court
Canberra
Original language

English

Type of text
National - higher court
Reference number
(1990) 169 CLR 436
Court name
High Court of Australia
Justice(s)
Mason
Bennan
Deane
Dawson
Toohey
Gaudron
Mchugh
Sources
InforMEA

In this case, the plaintiff is a beer brewer challenging the Act increasing the amount of the mandatory deposit per bottle sold as required by the South Australian Beverage Container Act 1975.

The plaintiff challenged the decision in front of the High Court of Australia on the basis that it is not located in South Australia and that it used non refillable bottles, as opposed to other brewery located in South Australia. The plaintiff justified its claim on the basis that it created a competitive disadvantage for him and it was beneficiating its South Australian competitors. The judges had to consider whether or not the South Australian Beverage Container Act 1975, which was originally taken to protect the environment, could have for consequence to create a disadvantage for beer brewers from other Australian states.

The High Court Considered that the 1986 legislation which increases the amount of the mandatory deposit per bottle sold was excessive in the sense that it exceeded the amount necessary to conservation the environment and, as result, could be considered to be some form of hidden discrimination in order to benefit the local brewers.