Australian Constitution

1971

Strickland v Rocla Concrete Pipes Ltd

High Court of Australia(1971) 124 CLR 468

Key Principle

Broadened the corporations power (s 51(xx)) by overruling Huddart Parker, allowing Commonwealth regulation of the activities of trading corporations

This case overruled the narrow reading of the corporations power established in Huddart Parker v Moorehead (1909). The Court held that s 51(xx) empowered the Commonwealth to regulate the trading activities of constitutional corporations, not merely their incorporation. This opened the way for extensive Commonwealth regulation of corporate conduct and was the critical stepping stone to the Work Choices Case (2006).

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