Matthes v The Nominal Defendant [2021] NSWSC 188

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Matthes v The Nominal Defendant [2021] NSWSC 188 Hearing dates: 9 February 2021 Date of orders: 5 March 2021 Decision date: 05 March 2021 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Harrison AsJ Decision: The Court orders that: (1) The amended summons filed 15 August 2020 is dismissed. (2) The plaintiff is to pay the first defendant's costs on an ordinary basis. Catchwords: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – Judicial review – Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW) – Jurisdictional error – Review of the decision of a proper officer – Whether the proper officer acted in excess of the "gatekeeper" role under s 63(3) – Whether the decision was made according to law – Where the decision was not irrational, illogical and not based on findings or inferences of fact supported by logical grounds – Review dismissed Legislation Cited: Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW), ss 62, 63 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 69 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 59.4 Cases Cited: AAI Ltd t/as AAMI v Chan [2021] NSWCA 19 AAI Ltd trading as GIO as agent for the Nominal Defendant v McGiffen [2016] NSWCA 229 Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd v Cervantes [2012] NSWCA 244 Australian Broadcasting Tribunal v Bond [1990] HCA 33; (1990) 170 CLR 321 Ballas v Department of Education (State of NSW) (2020) 102 NSWLR 783; [2020] NSWCA 86 Bradley v Insurance Australia Ltd (t/as NRMA Insurance) [2015] NSWSC 950 Buck v Bavone (1976) 135 CLR 110 Bugat v Fox [2014] NSWSC 888 Dominice v Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd [2017] NSWCA 171 Elliott v Insurance Australia (t/as NRMA Insurance) [2014] NSWSC 1848 IAG Ltd t/as NRMA Insurance v Chahoud [2019] NSWSC 767 McHenry v Insurance Australia Limited (t/as NRMA Insurance) [2019] NSWSC 68 Meeuwissen v Boden (2010) 78 NSWLR 145; [2010] NSWCA 253 Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Wu Shan Liang (1996) 185 CLR 259 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs v SGLB (2004) 78 ALJR 992 Owen v Motor Accidents Authority (NSW) [2012] NSWSC 650 QBE v Miller [2013] NSWCA 442 R v Connell; Ex parte Hetton Bellbird Collieries Ltd (1944) 69 CLR 407 Rodger v De Gelder [2015] NSWCA 211 Shmailov v AAI Limited [2020] NSWSC 887 Wingfoot Australia Partners Pty Ltd v Kocak (2013) 252 CLR 480; [2013] HCA 43 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Patrick James Matthes (Plaintiff) The Nominal Defendant (First Defendant) State Insurance Regulatory Authority (Second Defendant) Andrew Tilley, Proper Officer of the Motor Accidents Medical Assessment Service (Third Defendant) Representation: Counsel: R de Meyrick (Plaintiff) J Gumbert & M Jones (First Defendant)