LEGAL STUDIESWritten examination

Tuesday 12 November 2019 Reading time: 2.00 pm to 2.15 pm (15 minutes) Writing time: 2.15 pm to 4.15 pm (2 hours)

QUESTION AND ANSWER BOOK

Structure of bookSection Number of

questionsNumber of questions

to be answeredNumber of

marks

A 6 6 40B 2 2 40

Total 80

• Studentsarepermittedtobringintotheexaminationroom:pens,pencils,highlighters,erasers,sharpenersandrulers.

• StudentsareNOTpermittedtobringintotheexaminationroom:blanksheetsofpaperand/orcorrectionfluid/tape.

• Nocalculatorisallowedinthisexamination.

Materials supplied• Questionandanswerbookof26pages• Additionalspaceisavailableattheendofthebookifyouneedextrapapertocompleteananswer.

Instructions• Writeyourstudent numberinthespaceprovidedaboveonthispage.• AllwrittenresponsesmustbeinEnglish.

Students are NOT permitted to bring mobile phones and/or any other unauthorised electronic devices into the examination room.

©VICTORIANCURRICULUMANDASSESSMENTAUTHORITY2019

SUPERVISOR TO ATTACH PROCESSING LABEL HEREVictorian Certificate of Education 2019

STUDENT NUMBER

Letter

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM 2

SECTION A – Question 1–continued

Question 1 (6marks)Johnhasbeenchargedwithanindictableoffence.Hehaspleadednotguilty.Thevictimsareworriedaboutgivingevidenceattheupcomingtrial,whichisexpectedtolastforsixweeks.John’slawyerhasrecommendedthatJohnshouldapplytothecourtforasentenceindicationandconsiderpleadingguilty.

a. Explainonereasonwhyasentenceindicationmay notbeappropriateinthiscase. 3marks

SECTION A

Instructions for Section AAnswerallquestionsinthespacesprovided.

SECTION A – continuedTURN OVER

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b. DescribeoneimpactthataguiltypleamayhaveonJohn’scriminalcase. 3marks

SECTION A – continued

2019 LEGAL STUDIES EXAM 4

Question 2 (4 marks) As at 1 July 2019, the composition of the Commonwealth Parliament was as follows.

Senate

Gender Age

Female Male Under 45 45 and over

Data not available

Total 37 39 12 50 14

House of Representatives

Gender Age

Female Male Under 45 45 and over

Data not available

Total 46 105 25 106 20

Data: Parliament of Australia, <www.aph.gov.au>

In your view, to what extent does the composition of the Commonwealth Parliament affect its ability to be representative in law-making? Justify your answer with reference to the table above.

SECTION A – continuedTURN OVER

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Question 3 (5marks)Zenaboughtasecond-handdressfor$300forherYear12formal.Shetookittoherlocaldry-cleaningstore,NoGuarantees,togetitcleanedbeforetheformal.WhenZenawenttopickupthedressfourdayslater,shewastoldthatthestoredidnothaveanyrecordofherdress.NoGuaranteeshasrefusedtoanswerZena’scallsoremails.Zenasharedherstorywithalocalnewspaperand,sincethen,atleast12otherpeoplehavecomeforwardwithsimilarstories.Recently,Zenawentpastthestoreandnoticedthatitseemedtobepermanentlyclosed.ZenawantstoclaimthefullcostofherdressfromNoGuarantees.

DiscusstheappropriatenessoftheVictorianCivilandAdministrativeTribunal(VCAT)inresolvingthedisputebetweenZenaandNoGuarantees.

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM 6

SECTION A –continued

Question 4 (5marks)Section51(xxix)oftheAustralianConstitutionprovidestheCommonwealthParliamentwiththepowertomakelawsinrelationtoexternalaffairs.IntheHighCourtcaseofKoowarta v. Bjelke-Petersen(1982),thenChiefJusticeGibbsstated:‘…if s.51(xxix)empowerstheParliamenttolegislatetogiveeffecttoeveryinternationalagreementwhichtheexecutivemaychoosetomake,theCommonwealthwouldbeabletoacquireunlimitedlegislativepower’.

ExplainwhatthestatementfromtheHighCourtmeansinrelationtotheexternalaffairspower.

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SECTION A – Question 5–continuedTURN OVER

Question 5 (10marks)InOctober2018,theVictorianLawReformCommission(VLRC)receivedtermsofreferencetoreviewandreportonVictoria’scommittalsystem.Aspartofthisreview,theVLRCwillconsider:‘whetherVictoriashouldmaintain,abolish,replaceorreformthepresentcommittalsystem[and]…waystominimisetheneedforvictimsandothervulnerablewitnessestogiveevidencemultipletimes’.TheVLRCisduetoreportbacktothegovernmentinMarch2020.

a. Referringtocommittalproceedings,justifyonereasonfortheVictoriancourthierarchy. 3marks

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM 8

SECTION A – Question 5–continued

b. EvaluatetheabilityoftheVLRCtoinfluencechangestothecriminaljusticesystem.Inyouranswer,refertoonerecentexampleoftheVLRCrecommendinglawreform. 7marks

SECTION A – continuedTURN OVER

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2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM 10

SECTION A – Question 6–continued

Question 6 (10marks)Section116oftheAustralianConstitutionstates:‘TheCommonwealthshallnotmakeanylawforestablishinganyreligion,orforimposinganyreligiousobservance,orforprohibitingthefreeexerciseofanyreligion,andnoreligioustestshallberequiredasaqualificationforanyofficeorpublictrustundertheCommonwealth’.

DiscusstheextenttowhichtheAustralianpeoplecanpreventtheCommonwealthParliamentfrommakinganylawsonreligion.

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END OF SECTION ATURN OVER

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM 12

SECTION B – Question 1–continued

Question 1 (23marks)

Source 1Thefollowingisanextractofsection22oftheDefamation Act 2005(Vic).

22 Roles of judicial officers and juries in defamation proceedings

(1)Thissectionappliestodefamationproceedingsthataretriedbyjury.…(3)Ifthejuryfindsthatthedefendanthaspublisheddefamatorymatterabouttheplaintiffandthatnodefencehasbeenestablished,thejudicialofficerandnotthejuryistodeterminetheamountofdamages(ifany)thatshouldbeawardedtotheplaintiffandallunresolvedissuesoffactandlawrelatingtothedeterminationofthatamount.

Source:VictorianLegislationandParliamentaryDocuments,<www.legislation.vic.gov.au>

Source 2ThefollowingisanextractfromanarticlebyMichaelaWhitbourn,publishedinThe Sydney Morning Herald on31January2019.

Ambitious 18-month timetable unveiled for defamation law reform

Thestatesandterritorieshaveagreedtoanambitious18-monthtimetableforoverhaulingthecountry’scomplexandoutdateddefamationlaws,amidrapidchangesinonlinepublishingandcallsforthelawstoproviderobustnewprotectionsforpublicinterestjournalism.…NSWAttorney-GeneralMarkSpeakmanstartedareviewofthecountry’sdefamationlawsinJunelastyear,morethanadecadeafterthestatesandterritoriespasseduniformlawstoreplaceanunworkablesystemofeightdifferentdefamationlawsnationwide.…ProfessorDavidRolph,adefamationlawexpertattheUniversityofSydney,saiddefamationlawwas‘notoriouslycomplex…’.‘Anyonedesigningasystemoflawbalancingfreedomofspeechandprotectionofreputationwouldnotcomeupwiththesystemofdefamationlawthatwehave.Thereisalotofscopeforreform,’hesaid.

Source:MichaelaWhitbourn,‘Ambitious18-monthtimetableunveiledfordefamationlawreform’, The Sydney Morning Herald,31January2019,<www.smh.com.au>

SECTION B

Instructions for Section BUsestimulusmaterial,whereprovided,toanswerthequestionsinthissection.Itisnotintendedthatthismaterialwillprovideyouwithalltheinformationtofullyanswerthequestions.Answerallquestionsinthespacesprovided.

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SECTION B – Question 1–continuedTURN OVER

Source 3Thefollowingisahypotheticalscenario.

BradleyisanAustraliancelebritywhohasappearedinmajorfilmsandtelevisionseries.HehasretiredfromactingandisseekingelectionasamemberoftheVictorianParliament.Stefaniisajournalistforamajornewspaper.Onasocialmediawebsite,StefaniwrotethefollowingcommentaboutBradley:‘Anotherbrainlesscelebritytryingtomakehiswayintoparliament,thinkingheknowsbetterthaneverybodyelse.Thisisthelastthingthestateneeds.Bradleyshouldgobacktoactinginbadfilms.’Stefanirepeatedhercommentsinanarticlepublishedbyheremployer.Stefani’scommentsandthearticleweresharedwidelyontheinternetandhavebeenpublishedbyvariouswebsites.BradleyhassuedStefaniandheremployerintheSupremeCourtofVictoria.BradleyclaimsthatStefanihaspublisheddefamatorycommentsabouthimthathavedamagedhisreputation.BradleyisseekingdamagesforlossofreputationandisseekinganinjunctiontoremoveStefani’scommentsandthearticlefromtheinternet.Bradleyhaselectedforhistrialtobeheardbyajury.ThejudgeintheSupremeCourtofVictoriahasorderedthatthepartiesattendmediationtotrytoresolvethedispute.

a. Isthepowertochangedefamationlawsaresidualpoweroranexclusivepower?Justifyyouranswer. 2marks

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM 14

SECTION B – Question 1–continued

b. ExplainonereasonfortheneedtochangedefamationlawsinAustralia. 3marks

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SECTION B – Question 1–continuedTURN OVER

c. BradleybelievesheisentitledtobeelectedtotheVictorianParliamentbecauseofsections 7and24oftheAustralianConstitution.

ExplainwhyBradleyiswrong. 3marks

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM 16

SECTION B – Question 1–continued

d. Describetherelationshipbetweensection22oftheDefamation Act 2005(Vic)andtheresponsibilitiesofthejudgeandthejuryifBradley’scasegoestotrial. 4marks

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SECTION B – Question 1–continuedTURN OVER

e. DiscusstheextenttowhichaninjunctionalonecouldrestoreBradleytothepositionhewasinbeforethepublicationofStefani’scommentsandthearticle. 5marks

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SECTION B – continued

f. Inyourview,shouldthismatterbedeterminedbyajuryattrialorthroughmediation?Givereasonsforyouranswer. 6marks

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SECTION B – Question 2–continuedTURN OVER

Question 2 (17marks)ThefollowingisanextractfromanarticlebyGregWalsh,firstpublishedinThe Sydney Morning Heraldon3March2016,abouttheHighCourtcaseofD’Orta-Ekenaike v. Victoria Legal Aid (2005).

Should you be able to sue your lawyer if you think they’ve done a bad job?InAustraliaalawyercannotbesuedinnegligencefortheirworkduringcourtproceedingsorforout-of-courtworkthatleadstoadecisionaffectingtheconductofacaseincourt.This‘advocates’immunity’defencehasbeenstronglycriticisedandtherehavebeenrepeatedcallsfortheimmunitytobeabolishedoratleastnarrowed.ThoseagainstimmunitymayhavegroundsforhopeastheHighCourtwillreconsideritthismonthinanappealfromtheNSWCourtofAppealdecisionofJacksonLalicLawyersvGregoryIanAttwells.…Theissueofadvocates’immunitywaslastaddressedbytheHighCourtin2005in D’Orta-EkenaikevVictoriaLegalAid.D’Orta-Ekenaikeinitiallypleadedguiltytoachargeofrapebutwithdrewhispleaattrial.Despitewithdrawinghispleatheprosecutionrelieduponhisinitialdecisiontopleadguiltyandhewasconvicted.Onappealhisconvictionwasquashedandintheretrialtheevidenceofhispleaofguiltywasnotadmittedandhewasacquitted. D’Orta-EkenaikesuedhisbarristerandVictoriaLegalAidclaimingthatheonlypleadedguiltyafterbeingadvisedthathehadnodefence,thathewouldreceiveasuspendedsentenceifhepleadedguilty,andthatifhefailedtopleadguiltyhewouldreceiveacustodialsentence.TheHighCourtfoundagainstD’Orta-Ekenaikeina6:1decision(JusticeKirbydissenting)thatupheldadvocates’immunity.Outofthemanyreasonsconsideredbythecourt,themajoritystronglyemphasisedthefundamentalimportanceofensuringfinalityinjudicialproceedings.Thecourtwasconcernedthatallowinglawyerstobesuedforworkrelatedtocourtproceedingswouldopenupthepotentialforongoinglitigationbyprovidingeverylosingpartytheabilitytocontinuetolitigatetheirmatterbysuingtheirlawyers.Suchanoutcome,inthecourt’sview,hadthepotentialtoimpairtheabilityoflegaladvocatestofocusontheadministrationofjusticeandwouldunderminepublicconfidenceinthelegalsystem.

Source:GregWalsh,‘Shouldyoubeabletosueyourlawyerifyouthinkthey’vedoneabadjob?’, The Sydney Morning Herald,4March2016,<www.smh.com.au>

a. WasD’Orta-Ekenaike v. Victoria Legal Aidacriminalcaseoracivilcase?Justifyyouranswer. 2marks

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM 20

SECTION B – Question 2–continued

b. OutlineoneresponsibilityofVictoriaLegalAid(VLA)inassistingMrD’Orta-Ekenaikeinhiscriminalcase. 2marks

c. Howcouldtheprincipleof‘advocates’immunity’bedecidedbyparliament? 3marks

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SECTION B – Question 2–continuedTURN OVER

d. ExplaintherelationshipbetweentheHighCourtcaseofD’Orta-Ekenaike v. Victoria Legal Aidandthedoctrineofprecedent. 4marks

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM 22

END OF QUESTION AND ANSWER BOOK

e. DiscussoneoftheprinciplesofjusticeinrelationtoMrD’Orta-Ekenaike’scriminalcase. 6marks

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TURN OVER

Extra space for responses

Clearly number all responses in this space.

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM 24

25 2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM

TURN OVER

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM 26

Ananswerbookisavailablefromthesupervisorifyouneedextrapapertocompleteananswer.Pleaseensureyouwriteyourstudent numberinthespaceprovidedonthefrontcoveroftheanswerbook.At the end of the examination, place the answer book inside the front cover of this question and answer book.