Cooney v Commissioner of Police [2021] NSWCATAD 272

Civil and Administrative Tribunal New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Cooney v Commissioner of Police [2021] NSWCATAD 272 Hearing dates: 21 August 2021 Date of orders: 22 September 2021 Decision date: 22 September 2021 Jurisdiction: Administrative and Equal Opportunity Division Before: M Riordan, Senior Member Decision: The decision under review is affirmed Catchwords: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – government information – access application – information for which there is a conclusive public interest against disclosure (privileged information) – client privilege – in-house lawyers – non-disclosure order – anonymisation order – information for which there is an overriding public interest against disclosure (cl 1 (d), (e), (f) and (g) of the table to s 14 (2) of the Government Information (Public Interest) Act 2009 – confidential information – balancing public interest considerations Legislation Cited: Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 Administrative Decisions Review Act 1997 Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Government Sector Employment Act 2013 (NSW) Police Act 1990 (NSW) Cases Cited: AIN v Medical Council of New South Wales [2015] NSWCATAP 241 Ansoul v City of Sydney [2017] NSWCATAD 65 at [38] Attorney General's Department v Cockcroft (1986) 10 FCR 180 at 190; (1986) 64 ALR 163; (1986) 12 ALD 468; [1986] FCA 35 Australian Transport Insurance Pty Ltd v Graeme Phillips Road Transport Insurances Pty Ltd (1986) 10 FCR 177; (1986) 71 ALR 287; (1980) 44 FLR 41 at 62, 68; [1986] FCA 87 AWB Ltd v Cole (2006) 152 FCR 382; (2006) 232 ALR 743; (2006) 91 ALD 46; [2006] FCA 571 at [106] Battin v University of New England [2013] NSWADT 73 at [74] Betzis v Commissioner of Police [2020] NSWCATAD 71 at [31] Cameron v Commissioner of Police (NSW) [2014] NSWCATAD 13 Charles Gauci v Commission for Fair Trading NSW [2015] NSWCATAD 218 Commissioner of Taxation v Pratt Holdings Pty Ltd (2005) 225 ALR 266; ATC 4903; (2005) 60 ATR 466; [2005] FCA 1247 Department of Education and Training v Mullett (No 2) [2002] NSWCATAP 29 at [50] Director of Public Prosecutions v Smith [1991] 1 VR 63; (1991) 100 FLR 6; [1991] 1 VR 63 DSE (Holdings) PTY Ltd v Intertan Inc (2003) 135 FCR 151; (2003) 203 ALR 348; [2003] FCA 1191 at [38] Flack v Commissioner of Police, New South Wales Police [2011] NSWADT 286 at [41]-[42], [52] Forbidden Foods Pty Ltd v Rice Marketing Board of New South Wales [2020] NSWCATAD 18 at [52] Gaynor v Chief of the Defence Force (No 2) [2015] FCA 817 Grant v Downs (1976) 135 CLR 674 at 688; (1976) 51 ALJR 198; (1976) 11 ALR 577; [1976] HCA 63 Hall v Department of Premier and Cabinet (NSW) [2012] NSWADT 46 at [45] Hansen v Commissioner of Police [2020] NSWCATAD 89 Holman v Warringah Council [2015] NSWCATAD 215 at [86] Howell v Macquarie University [2008] NSWCA 26 at [72] Leech v Sydney Water Corporation [2010] NSWADT 198 at [28] McKinnon v Secretary, Department of Treasury (2006) 228 CLR 423; (2006) 80 ALJR 1549; (2006) 229 ALR 187; 43 AAR 151; 91 ALD 516; 63 ATR 409; [2006] HCA 45 Meacham v Commissioner of Police [2020] NSWCATAP 107 at [54], [83] Neary v State Rail Authority [1999] NSWADT 107 at [35]-[36] Newcastle City Council v Newcastle East Residents Action Group [2018] NSWCATAP 254 NuCoal Resources Ltd v Department of Premier and Cabinet [2017] NSWCATAD 245 at [15] Owen v Commissioner of Police [2020] NSWCATAD 296 at [65] Pratt Holdings Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (2004) 136 FCR 357; (2004) 207 ALR 217; 56 ATR 128; [2004] FCAFC 122 at [87] Public Service Assn v Premier's Department [2002] NSWADT 277 at [57], [59] Roy v Commissioner of Police, NSW Police Force [2012] NSWADT 120 at [28] Seremetis v Commissioner of Police; Seremetis v Department of Communities and Justice [2020] NSWCATAD 317 at [36] Seven Network Ltd v News Ltd [2005] FCA 142 Sullivan v Civil Aviation Safety Authority 184 CLR 23; (2014) 226 FCR 555; (2014) 322 ALR 581; (2014) 64 AAR 120; (2014) 141 ALD 540; [2014] FCAFC 93 at [5]-[8], [15]-[17]; (1990) 22 FCR 527 at 555 Taylor v Office of Destination NSW [2018] NSWCATAD 195 at [20] Tebbutt v Minister for Lands and Water [2015] NSWCATAD 95 Transport for NSW v Robinson [2018] NSWCATAP 123 at [43] Transport for NSW v Searle [2018] NSWCATAP 93 at [91], [104] Veall v Department of Planning and Environment [2018] NSWCATAD 47 Webb v Port Stephens Council (No 3) [2018] NSWCATAP 286 at [85]-[86] Category: Principal judgment Parties: Alexandra Cooney (Applicant) Commissioner of Police (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: A Guy (Applicant) M Watts (Respondent)