 On the important issue of whether the United Kingdom was a " foreign power " , only Gaudron , and jointly Gleeson , Gummow and Hayne , decided the matter , the other three judges having already found that the court did not have jurisdiction to hear the case . All four judges deciding did find that the United Kingdom was a " foreign power " , because it no longer retained any legislative , executive or judicial influence over Australia . Gleeson , Gummow and Hayne said that the question was : 
