P J Magennis Pty Ltd v Commonwealth

P J Magennis Pty Ltd v Commonwealth,[1] is a High Court of Australia case that deals with the Commonwealth's power of acquisition of property, which must be on just terms, as specified in section 51(xxxi) of the Constitution.[2]

P J Magennis Pty Ltd v Commonwealth
Court	High Court of Australia
Full case name	P J Magennis Pty Ltd v The Commonwealth
Decided	21 December 1949
Citation(s)	[1949] HCA 66, (1949) 80 CLR 382
Case opinions
(4:2) The law is invalid as an acquisition of property other than on just terms (per Latham CJ, Rich, Williams & Webb JJ; Dixon & McTiernan dissenting)
Court membership
Judge(s) sitting	Latham CJ, Rich, Dixon, McTiernan, Williams and Webb JJ

The Commonwealth government wished to purchase land for resettlement after World War II. Because the States are not required to acquire property on just terms, the Commonwealth government entered into a deal with the New South Wales government, which would purchase the land for a lower price. The Commonwealth government would then pay the New South Wales government in the form of a grant (section 96).[3]

The majority characterised the law as being one of acquiring real property, instead of the grants power.

Consequently, the law was amended to remove references to the acquisition of property. The validity of a grant in the absence of a requirement to acquire property was upheld in the later case of Pye v Renshaw.[4]