High Court rejects Russia’s new Canberra embassy bid
The High Court has thrown out a bid by Russia to block a law stopping it from building a new embassy near Canberra’s Parliament House.
Parliament House's flagpole looms over the disputed site of Russia's planned new embassy. Legislation to block the move on security grounds passed Parliament on June 15, with a suspected Russian diplomat then squatting on the site. The High Court has now rejected Russia's bid for an injunction against the ban. Photo: AP/Rod McGuirk
The court on Monday rejected the attempts by Russian officials to grant an injunction against recent federal laws terminating the lease on the embassy site.
Justice Jayne Jagot said arguments made for holding onto the embassy site were weak and there was no foundation for granting the injunction.
Laws terminating the lease of the diplomatic land were rushed through parliament on June 15, citing national security risks.
A Russian diplomat has since been seen living in a shed on the site where the country was blocked from building an embassy.
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Russia’s embassy in the inner-south Canberra suburb of Griffith will not be affected by the decision.
The National Capital Authority granted the lease for the Yarralumla site in December 2008 and building approvals followed in 2011.
Under the lease conditions, Russia had agreed to finish construction within three years, but the embassy remains partially built.
-with AAP
