Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Reeve [2012] FCAFC 21

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Reeve [2012] FCAFC 21 Citation: Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Reeve [2012] FCAFC 21

Appeal from: Reeve and Commonwealth Bank of Australia [2010] AATA 893

Parties: COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA (ACN 123 123 124) v MARK REEVE and ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS TRIBUNAL

File number: WAD 384 of 2010

Judges: GRAY, RARES AND TRACEY JJ

Date of judgment: 8 March 2012

Catchwords: WORKERS' COMPENSATION – "injury" – definition – exclusionary provision – administrative action in respect of employee's employment – bank manager suffered major depressive disorder – multiple causes – organisational and staffing changes with respect to manager's branch, humiliation in having to report unsatisfactory results in telephone conference, visit to branch by regional manager who did not spend time with manager, distribution of unsatisfactory results of customer satisfaction survey, impending further telephone conference – whether Administrative Appeals Tribunal erred in construction of exclusionary provision – whether any of causes capable of falling within exclusionary provision Words and phrases: "administrative action"

Legislation: Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 (Cth) s 44 Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 (Cth) ss 5, 8 Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) ss 15AA, 15AB, 15AD(a), 15AD(b) Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) s 20(1A) Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (Cth) ss 4, 4(1), 5A, 5A(1), 5A(2), 5A(2)(a), 5A(2)(f), 5B, 6(1)(a) and (b), 14(1), Pt VIII Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1986 (SA) s 30 Cases cited: Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenue (2009) 239 CLR 27 applied Canute v Comcare (2006) 234 CLR 535 applied Clements v Independent Indigenous Advisory Committee [2003] FCAFC 143, cited Fellowes v Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission (2009) 240 CLR 28 applied Hart v Comcare [2005] FCAFC 16 (2005) 87 ALD 341, cited John Holland Group Pty Ltd v Robertson (2010) 185 FCR 566 applied Leon Fink Holdings Pty Ltd v Australian Film Commission (1979) 141 CLR 672 applied Parker v President of the Industrial Court of Queensland [2010] 1 Qd R 255 referred to PT Garuda Indonesia Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (2011) 192 FCR 393 applied SZBYR v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship (2007) 235 ALR 609 applied The Commonwealth v Rutledge (1964) 111 CLR 1 referred to Tuite v Administrative Appeals Tribunal (1993) 40 FCR 483, cited Workcover Corporation of South Australia v Summers (1995) 65 SASR 243, cited