Repatriation Commission v Bey, Michael George [1997] FCA 1347

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

VETERANS AFFAIRS ‑ Reasonable hypothesis connecting disease with war service ‑ Whether mere possibility of connection constitutes reasonable hypothesis.

Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986, ss 9, 120

East v Repatriation Commission (1987) 16 FCR 517 approved and applied Cooke v Repatriation Commission (1997) 45 ALD 205 considered Byrnes v Repatriation Commission (1993) 177 CLR 564 considered Critch v Repatriation Commission (1996) 43 ALD 574 considered O'Brien v Repatriation Commission (1985) 155 CLR 422 considered Webb v Repatriation Commission (1988) 19 FCR 139 approved Repatriation Commission v Whetton (1991) 31 FCR 513 approved Bell v Repatriation Commission (1992) 26 ALD 545 approved Bushell v Repatriation Commission (1992) 175 CLR 408 considered Repatriation Commission v Owens (1996) 70 ALJR 904 applied Repatriation Commission v Stares (1996) 66 FCR 594 considered Gilbert v Repatriation Commission (1989 86 ALR 713 approved REPATRIATION COMMISSION v MICHAEL JORDAN BEY VG 279 OF 1997

NORTHROP, NICHOLSON, SUNDBERG, MARSHALL AND MERKEL JJ 21 NOVEMBER 1997 MELBOURNE

IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

VICTORIA DISTRICT REGISTRY VG 279 of 1997

BETWEEN: REPATRIATION COMMISSION

AppELLant

AND: MICHAEL JORDAN BEY

Respondent

JUDGES: NORTHROP, NICHOLSON, SUNDBERG, MARSHALL AND MERKEL JJ

DATE OF ORDER: 21 NOVEMBER 1997

WHERE MADE: MELBOURNE

THE COURT ORDERS THAT: 1. The appeal be allowed. 2. The orders of the primary judge be set aside and in lieu thereof it be ordered that the respondent's appeal to the Federal Court be dismissed and the decision of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal be affirmed. 3. The respondent pay the appellant's costs of the appeal and of the proceedings before the primary judge. Note: Settlement and entry of orders is dealt with in Order 36 of the Federal Court Rules.