SafeWork NSW v Scharfe [2021] NSWDC 260

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: SafeWork NSW v Scharfe [2021] NSWDC 260 Hearing dates: 24, 25, 27 and 28 May 2021 Date of orders: 18 June 2021 Decision date: 18 June 2021 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Scotting DCJ Decision: 1. The prosecutor has failed to establish all of the elements of the offence beyond reasonable doubt. 2. The matter is adjourned to Friday 9 July 2021 for the making of final orders or to consider any application of the prosecutor to state questions to the Court of Criminal Appeal Catchwords: CRIME – prosecution – work health and safety – duty of persons undertaking business – duty of employers – risk of death or serious injury – worker injured Legislation Cited: Interpretation Act 1987 Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 (NSW) Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 Work Health and Safety Act 2011 Cases Cited: Adeels Palace Pty Ltd v Moubarak (2009) 239 CLR 420 Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenuew (Northern Territory) (2009) 239 CLR 27 Bulga Underground Operations v Nash [2016] NSWCCA 37 Carrington Slipways Pty Ltd v Callaghan (1985) 11 IR 467 Certain Lloyd's Underwriters v Cross (2012) 87 ALJR 131 Director of Public Prosecutions v JCS Fabrications Pty Ltd and JMAL Group Pty Ltd [2019] VSCA 50 Director of Public Prosecutions v Vibro-Pile (Aust) Pty Ltd (2016) 49 VR 676 Federal Commissioner of Taxation v Consolidated Media Holdings Ltd (2012) 250 CLR 503 Inspector Ching v Bros Bins Systems Pty Ltd [2004] NSWIRComm 197 Inspector Dowling v Farmer (unreported Chief Industrial Magistrate's Court 2002). Inspector Game v Lucas (unreported Chief Industrial Magistrate's Court of New South Wales 1991) Inspector Maddaford v Pontelle (unreported Chief Industrial Magistrate's Court 2003). Inspector Martin v Russell Larkham [2003] NSWIRComm 31 Kirk v Industrial Court of New South Wales (2010) 239 CLR 531 Maloney v Commissioner for Railways (1978) 18 ALR Neindorf v Junkovic (2005) 80 ALJR 341 O'Grady v Fernandez (unreported Magistrate's Court of Victoria 2002) Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355 R v Board of Trustees of the Science Museum [1993] 1 WLR 1171 R v Commercial Industrial Construction Group Pty Ltd (2006) 14 VR 321 R v Irvine [2009] VSCA 239 R v Matthew Lever (unreported Magistrate's Court of Victoria 2010). Re Bolton; Ex Parte Beane (1987) 162 CLR 514 Royall v The Queen (1991) 172 CLR 378 Safework NSW v Alejandro Bocaz [2017] NSWDC 271 SafeWork NSW v Turner [2020] NSWDC 180 Seltsam v McNeill [2006] NSWCA 158 Simpson Design and Associates Pty Ltd v Industrial Court of New South Wales [2011] NSWCA 316 Slivak v Lurgi (Aust) Pty Ltd (2001) 205 CLR 304 Stevenson v Hoggard [1992] SAIRC 41 Tame v New South Wales (2002) 211 CLR 317 Thiess Pty Ltd v Industrial Court of New South Wales (2010) 78 NSWLR 94 Vairy v Wyong Shire Council (2005) 223 CLR 426 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Gordon) v Gregory Ronald Wallis [1994] NSWIRC 163 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (inspector Gordon) v Gregory Ronald Wallis (unreported Full Bench of the Industrial Relations Commission in Court Session 1996) WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Thomas) v Cruden (1996) 67 IR 469 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales v Alameddine [2014] NSWDC 303 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales v Kellogg (Aust) Pty Ltd [1999] NSWIRComm 453 WorkCover Authority of NSW v Atco Controls Pty Ltd (1998) 82 IR 80 Wyong Sire Council v Shirt (1980) 146 CLR 40 Texts Cited: The Explanatory Memorandum for the Work Health and Safety Bill 2011 The Law of Torts(Professor Fleming 1957 edition Category: Principal judgment Parties: SafeWork NSW (Prosecutor) Glenn Scharfe (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: M Moir (Prosecutor) J Alderson (Defendant)