Gautam v Health Care Complaints Commission [2021] NSWCA 85

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Gautam v Health Care Complaints Commission [2021] NSWCA 85 Hearing dates: 14 April 2021 Date of orders: 13 May 2021 Decision date: 13 May 2021 Before: Leeming JA at [1] Payne JA at [27] Simpson AJA at [118] Decision: (1) Leave to appeal against factual findings refused; (2) Appeal dismissed; (3) Appellant to pay the respondent's costs of the appeal; (4) Cross-appeal dismissed; (5) Cross-appellant to pay the cross-respondent's costs of the cross-appeal. Catchwords: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – particular administrative bodies – NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal – complaint by Health Care Complaints Commission about medical practitioner – adequacy of reasons EVIDENCE – standard of proof – civil cases – application of principles in Briginshaw v Briginshaw APPEALS – leave to appeal – on factual findings – whether appropriate to depart from a demeanour-based credit finding Legislation Cited: Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 (NSW), s 62(3), Sch 5 cl 29(4)(b) District Court Act 1973 (NSW), s 127 Health Practitioner Regulation (Adoption of National Law) Act 2009 (NSW), s 4, Sch 1 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW), ss 165, 165B(2), 165M Home Building Act 1989 (NSW) Migration Act 1958 (Cth) Cases Cited: Alexandria Landfill Pty Ltd [2020] NSWCA 165; (2020) 243 LGERA 102 Avon Downs Pty Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1949) 78 CLR 353; [1949] HCA 26 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336; [1938] HCA 34 Camden v McKenzie [2008] 1 Qd R 39; [2007] QCA 136 Campbelltown City Council v Vegan (2006) 67 NSWLR 372; [2006] NSWCA 284 Coote v Kelly [2013] NSWCA 357 Day v SAS Trustee Corporation [2021] NSWCA 71 Dranichnikov v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs [2003] HCA 26; (2003) 77 ALJR 1088 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118; [2003] HCA 22 Gautam v Health Care Complaints Commission (No 1) [2021] NSWCA 1 Goodrich Aerospace Pty Ltd v Arsic (2006) 66 NSWLR 186; [2006] NSWCA 187 Healthcare Complaints Commission v Wingate (2007) 70 NSWLR 323; [2007] NSWCA 326 Kumar v Legal Services Commissioner [2015] NSWCA 161 Lee v Lee (2019) 266 CLR 129; [2019] HCA 28 Minister for Aboriginal Affairs v Peko-Wallsend Ltd (1986) 162 CLR 24; [1986] HCA 40 Moubarak by his tutor Coorey v Holt (2019) 100 NSWLR 218; [2019] NSWCA 102 New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation v Orr (2019) 100 NSWLR 578; [2019] NSWCA 231 Nominal Defendant v Smith [2015] NSWCA 339 Re Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs; Ex parte Lam (2003) 214 CLR 1; [2003] HCA 6 Resource Pacific Pty Ltd v Wilkinson [2013] NSWCA 33 Secretary to the Department of Education and Training v Paul [2020] VSCA 280 Siganto v The Queen (1998) 194 CLR 656; [1998] HCA 74 Smith v New South Wales Bar Association (1992) 176 CLR 256 State of New South Wales v Hunt (2014) 86 NSWLR 226; [2014] NSWCA 47 Thompson v Racing Victoria Ltd [2020] VSC 574 Thorne v Kennedy (2017) 263 CLR 85; [2017] HCA 49 Waterways Authority v Fitzgibbon [2005] HCA 57; (2005) 79 ALJR 1816 Weaver v Law Society of New South Wales (1979) 142 CLR 201 at 207; [1979] HCA 35 White Constructions Pty Ltd v PBS Holdings Pty Ltd [2020] NSWCA 277 Wingfoot Australia Partners Pty Ltd v Kocak (2013) 252 CLR 480; [2013] HCA 43 Ziliotto v Hakim [2013] NSWCA 359 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Dr Bijender Kumar Gautam (Appellant / Cross-Respondent) Health Care Complaints Commission (Respondent / Cross-Appellant) Representation: Counsel: M Windsor SC with NCC Simone (Dr Gautam) I Chatterjee (Health Care Complaints Commission)