Legislative amendment directed towards a particular individual, company and dispute: The separation of powers and other constitutional issues

The Western Australian Parlaiment passed legislation to effectively end a dispute involving a businessman and his companies. Those entities had commenced legal action against the state that, if successful, might have resulted in a multi-billion dollar compensation claim. Parliament responded by effectively prohibiting a court from awarding a remedy to the claimants. This article suggests that, in principle, this legislation raises fundamental separation of powers issues, and such laws might offend Chapter III of the Constitution.