Meacham v Commissioner of Police [2020] NSWCATAP 107

Civil and Administrative Tribunal New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Meacham v Commissioner of Police [2020] NSWCATAP 107 Hearing dates: 21 February 2020 Date of orders: 10 June 2020 Decision date: 10 June 2020 Jurisdiction: Appeal Panel Before: Armstrong J, President R L Hamilton SC, Senior Member Decision: (1) The appeal is allowed. (2) The decision made by the Tribunal on 19 September 2019 is set aside. (3) The application is remitted to a differently constituted Tribunal for rehearing and determination consistently with these reasons, with such further evidence as the Tribunal, by leave, allows. Catchwords: APPEAL – administrative review – decision to refuse firearms licence – public interest – adequate reasons – failure to make findings on material issues in dispute – implied findings – no evidence for finding – relevant considerations – error of law – onus and standard of proof in challenge to administrative decisions Legislation Cited: Administrative Decisions Review Act 1997 (NSW) Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 (NSW) Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Firearms Act 1996 (NSW) Firearms Regulation 2017 (NSW) Cases Cited: Australian Broadcasting Tribunal v Bond (1990) 170 CLR 321 Bazouni and Ors v Commissioner of Police [2002] NSWADT 100 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336; [1938] HCA 34 Bronze Wing Ammunition Pty Limited v SafeWork NSW (No 2) [2016] NSWSC 988 Bronze Wing International Pty Ltd v SafeWork NSW [2017] NSWCA 41 Bushell v Repatriation Commission (1992) 175 CLR 408 Commissioner of Police v Toleafoa [1999] NSWADTAP 9 Commissioner of Police, NSW Police Force v Lee [2016] NSWCATAP 234 Constantin v Commissioner of Police, NSW Police Force (GD) [2013] NSWADTAP 16 Hannaford v Commonwealth Bank of Australia (2014) NSWCA 297 Haritos v FCT [2015] FCAFC 92 Hijazi v Commissioner of Police, NSW Police Force [2015] NSWCATAP 82 House v Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Authority (2011) 193 FCR 112 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 Joseph v Commissioner of Police, New South Wales Police Force [2017] NSWCA 31 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs v QAAH of 2004 (2006) 231 CLR 1; [2006] HCA 53 Mitchell v Cullingral Pty Ltd [2012] NSWCA 389 Morris v Commissioner of Police, New South Wales Police Service [2002] NSWADT 223 Neat Holdings Pty Ltd v Karajan Holdings Pty Ltd (1992) 10 CLR 445; [1992] HCA 66 New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation v Orr [2019] NSWCA 231 Nguyen v Cosmopolitan Homes [2008] NSWCA 246 O'Sullivan v Farrar (1989) 168 CLR 210 Oliver v Commissioner of Police, NSW Police [2007] NSWADT 153 Petas v Commissioner of Police, NSW Police [2013] NSWADT 137 Ward v Commissioner of Police [2000] NSWADT 28 Texts Cited: None cited Category: Principal judgment Parties: Eleonora Meacham (Appellant) Commissioner of Police (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: C Moschoudis (pro bono) (Appellant)