State committal procedures, including provisions limiting cross-examination to 'special reasons' cases, apply to Commonwealth offences by virtue of s 68 of the Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) and Chapter III of the Constitution. There is no overriding 'Commonwealth common law' right to a particular form of committal proceeding. Where a committal process is defective due to an inappropriate refusal of an adjournment, the appropriate remedy may be a pre-empanelment [name withheld]-type inquiry rather than a stay pending fresh committal proceedings.
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