LETTERS PATENT - 30 MAY 1978

ELIZABETH THE SECOND, by the Grace of God Queen of Australia and Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth:

TO THE HONOURABLE DOUGLAS GORDON PATRICK McGREGOR,

a Judge of the Federal Court of Australia and the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory.

GREETING:

WHEREAS by Letters Patent issued in Our name on 24 April 1978 by the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, and in pursuance of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Royal Commissions Act 1902 and all other enabling powers, We appointed you to be a Commissioner to inquire into certain matters relating to the re-distribution in 1977 of the State of Queensland into Electoral Divisions for the election of Members of the House of Representatives:

AND WHEREAS by Letters Patent issued in Our name on 10 May 1978 by the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, and in pursuance of those same powers, We varied the Letters Patent issued on 24 April 1978 so as to require you also to inquire into and report upon the matters specified in the Letters Patent issued on 10 May 1978:

AND WHEREAS it is desirable that your inquiry be extended to further matters that may not fall directly within the matters to be inquired into under the Letters Patent issued on 24 April 1978 and 10 May 1978:

NOW THEREFORE, We do, by these Our Letters Patent issued in Our name by the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia on the advice of the Federal Executive Council and in pursuance of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Royal Commissions Act 1902 and all other enabling powers, vary the Letters Patent issued on 24 April 1978 and 10 May 1978 so as to require that, to the extent that you may not be required to do so by the Letters Patent issued on 24 April 1978 and 10 May 1978, you inquire into and report upon whether, in the course of the re-distribution in 1977 of the State of Queensland into Electoral Divisions for the election of Members of the House of Representatives (including the change of the name of a proposed Division from “Gold Coast” to “McPherson”) in so far as the re-distribution affected that part of the State of Queensland that, prior to the re-distribution, comprised the Division of McPherson, any breach of a law of the Commonwealth or any impropriety occurred by reason of -

(a) anything said or action taken by or on behalf of any person;

(b) any action taken by the Distribution Commissioners or any of them as a result of anything said or action taken by or on behalf of any person; or

(c) any communication by the Distribution Commissioners to any person.

WITNESS HIS EXCELLENCY

SIR ZELMAN COWEN, Knight of the Order of Australia, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguised Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Knight of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, one of Her Majesty’s Counsel learned in the law, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, this thirtieth day of May 1978.

ZELMAN COWEN,

Governor-General

By His Excellency’s Command,

MALCOLM FRASER,

Prime Minister