Australian courts sometimes refer to cases that have been previously decided by courts from a different hierarchy. Which one of the following statements is incorrect?
(a) Even if a precedent is not binding on an Australian court, an earlier decision made by any court in any hierarchy of courts can be treated as a ‘persuasive’ authority.
(b) A previously decided case cannot be treated as ‘persuasive’ by an Australian court if the earlier case was heard by a court sitting in another country and applying its own national law.
(c) A case that was previously decided by a lower-ranking court in a particular court hierarchy can be treated as persuasive by a higher-ranking court in that same hierarchy.