Kirby v Health Care Complaints Commission [2021] NSWCA 139

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Kirby v Health Care Complaints Commission [2021] NSWCA 139 Hearing dates: 29 April 2021 Date of orders: 9 July 2021 Decision date: 09 July 2021 Before: Gleeson JA at [1] White JA at [94] Emmett AJA at [95] Decision: (1) Grant leave to appeal. (2) Direct the appellant to file a notice of appeal in the form of the draft notice of appeal contained in the White Book within 7 days. (3) Appeal dismissed. (4) Appellant to pay the respondent's costs. Catchwords: STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION – interpretation – Health Care Complaints Act 1993 (NSW) (HCC Act), s 4 – definition of "disciplinary body" – whether disciplinary body "established under" the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law 2009 (NSW) (National Law) – definition required to be read into HCC Act, s 90B – where Commission referred complaint to the Tribunal (NCAT) under the National Law, s 145C – where NCAT "established under" the National Law – whether NCAT authorised by the National Law to exercise the specified power of a disciplinary body in relation to a registered health practitioner STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION – interpretation – HCC Act, s 90B – National Law, s 145C – interaction between HCC Act and National Law – where Director of Proceedings determined that the Commission should prosecute complaint before the Tribunal – whether Director of Proceedings acting ultra vires – whether distinction between Commission "prosecuting" the complaint before a disciplinary body and referring the complaint to the Tribunal PROFESSIONS AND TRADES – health practitioners – dental practitioners – whether Commission referred a complaint against registered dentist to the Tribunal pursuant to s 145C of the National Law Legislation Cited: Civil and Administrative Legislation (Repeal and Amendment) Act 2013 (NSW) Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 (NSW), Sch 5, Pt 3, cl 4, Div 3, Sch 5, Pt 4, cll 10, 13, ss 7, 16 Civil and Administrative Tribunal Rules 2014 (NSW), r 18 Dental Practice Act 2001 (NSW), s 4 Health Care Complaints Act 1993 (NSW), Pt 2, Pt 6A, ss 3, 3A, 4, 39, 75, 80, 90A, 90B, 90C Health Legislation Amendment (Complaints) Act 2004 (NSW) Health Legislation Amendment (Unregistered Health Practitioners) Act 2006 (NSW) Health Practitioner Regulation Amendment Act 2010 (NSW), Sch 3 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW), Pt 2, Div 9, Pt 5A, Div 2, Pt 8, Div 3, Subdivs 3, 5-6, Div 10, Div 11, Subdiv 2, ss 41B, 90B, 90C, 138, 139, 139B, 139E, 145C, 145D, 146, 146B, 146C, 146D, 148, 148E, 148F, 148G, 149, 149A, 149B, 149C, 150, 150A, 150D, 165, 165A, 165B, 169, 169A Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW), s 21 Medical Practice Amendment Act 2008 (NSW) Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2005 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), ss 69, 101(2)(r) Supreme Court Rules 1970 (NSW), Pt 60, r 17 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 12.7(1), 42.1 Cases Cited: Attorney General v Chapman [1891] 2 QB 526 CIC Insurance Ltd v Bankstown Football Club Ltd (1997) 187 CLR 384; [1997] HCA 2 Corporation of Hyde v Bank of England (1882) 21 ChD 176 Ex parte Zietsch; Re Craig (1944) 44 SR (NSW) 360 Federal Commissioner of Taxation v Consolidated Media Holdings Ltd (2012) 250 CLR 503; [2012] HCA 55 Health Care Complaints Commission v Kirby [2019] NSWCATOD 47 Kelly v The Queen (2004) 218 CLR 216; [2004] HCA 12 Kirby v Health Care Complaints Commission [2020] NSWSC 1207 Moreton Bay Regional Council v Mekpine Pty Ltd (2016) 256 CLR 437; [2016] HCA 7 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355; [1998] HCA 28 Reimers v Health Care Complaints Commission [2012] NSWCA 317 SAS Trustee Corporation v Miles (2018) 265 CLR 137; [2018] HCA 55 SZTAL v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2017) 262 CLR 362; [2017] HCA 34 Taylor v Owners – Strata Plan No 11564 (2014) 253 CLR 531; [2014] HCA 9 Wilkie v Brown [2016] NSWCA 128 Texts Cited: P Herzfeld and T Prince, Interpretation (2nd ed, 2020, Thomson Reuters) The Macquarie Dictionary (2020, online) Category: Principal judgment Parties: David William Kirby (Appellant) Health Care Complaints Commission (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: J Sheller SC / D Tang (Appellant) K Richardson SC / P Lowson (Respondent)