Commissioner of NSW Police v Deputy State Coroner for NSW [2021] NSWSC 398

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Commissioner of NSW Police v Deputy State Coroner for NSW [2021] NSWSC 398 Hearing dates: 6 April 2021 Date of orders: 20 April 2021 Decision date: 20 April 2021 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Hamill J Decision: Summons dismissed. Catchwords: CIVIL LAW – judicial review of decision of Coroner not to suppress details of Police Safe Driving Policy – jurisdictional error – urgent application for review – inquest listed for hearing – police pursuits – nature of coronial proceedings – therapeutic jurisprudence – open justice – public safety – whether error of law on the face of the record – whether Coroner applied wrong legal test – straw man argument – legal unreasonableness – whether coroner acted irrationally or illogically – implied powers – incidental powers –affidavits of Deputy Commissioners – whether expert evidence – possibly ambitious submission – Expert Code of Conduct not adopted – where parts of policy disclosed at press conference – where press conference on NSW Police Facebook page – whether Coroner disregarded gravity of consequences – inconceivable – whether reasons adequate – Coroner's reasoning sound Legislation Cited: Coroners Act 2009 (NSW), ss 65, 73, 74 Court Suppression and Non-publication Orders Act 2010 (NSW), ss 3, 6, 8, 10 Cases Cited: AB v The Queen (No 3) (2019) 97 NSWLR 1046; [2019] NSWCCA 46 Daniels Corporation International Pty Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (2002) 213 CLR 543 at 560; [2002] HCA 49 Hogan v Hinch (2011) 243 CLR 506; [2011] HCA 4 Houssein v Under Secretary, Department of Industrial Relations and Technology (NSW) (1982) 148 CLR 88; [1982] HCA 2 HT v The Queen [2019] HCA 40; 93 ALJR 1307 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd & Anor v District Court of New South Wales (2004) 61 NSWLR 344; [2004] NSWCA 324 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v Ryde Local Court (2005) 62 NSWLR 512; [2005] NSWCA 101 Minister for Immigration and Broder Protection v Singh (2014) 231 FCR 437; [2014] FCAFC 1 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v Li (2014) 249 CLR 332; [2013] HCA 18 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v SZMDS (2010) 240 CLR 611; [2010] HCA 16 O'Shane v Burwood Local Court (NSW) [2007] NSWSC 1300; (2007) 178 A Crim R 392 R v Qaumi & Ors (No 9) [2016] NSWSC 171 State of New South Wales v Kamm [2016] NSWSC 1 Texts Cited: JG Starke QC, 'The right of freedom of public access to court hearings' (1989) 63 Australian Law Journal 155 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Commissioner of NSW Police (Plaintiff) Deputy State Coroner for NSW (Defendant) Attorney-General of NSW (Amicus curiae) Representation: Counsel: G Kennett SC and A Poukchanski (Plaintiff) D Kell SC and J Davidson (Amicus curiae)