High Court will hand down postal survey decision on Thursday

The High Court will hand down its decision on whether the Turnbull government’s proposed national survey can proceed at 12:15pm WA time on Thursday.

Over the last two days the highest court in the land has heard two cases arguing that the procedure the government has used to create and fund its postal survey plan is unconstitutional.

The government solicitor has argued in response that the claimants challenges may not be legally valid and the government is acting within the rules.

The result will come down while the nation’s politicians are locked in parliament house during question time.

The case largely focuses on a section of law which allows the Finance Minister to provide funds for events which are unforeseen and urgent. Marriage equality advocates have argued that the government’s desire to ask all Australians their thoughts on allowing gay couples to wed meet neither criterion.

The survey forms for the exercise are scheduled to be mailed out on 12 September and have already been printed. If the High Court strikes down the plan, the government will have wasted millions of taxpayers dollars.

Image: Anna Brown and Alex Greenwich