Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages v MacMahon [2021] NSWCATAP 303

Civil and Administrative Tribunal New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages v MacMahon [2021] NSWCATAP 303 Hearing dates: 6 August 2021 Date of orders: 05 October 2021 Decision date: 05 October 2021 Jurisdiction: Appeal Panel Before: J S Currie, Senior Member Dr J Lucy, Senior Member Decision: 1.Appeal allowed. 2. Decision of the Administrative and Equal Opportunity Division dated 30 November 2020 set aside and the following decision substituted for it: The decision of the Registrar to refuse to register the change of name is affirmed. Catchwords: APPEAL- Question of law- statutory interpretation- power of Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages to refuse to register change of name- where use of name contrary to public interest- whether Registrar may have regard to purpose of name change, public record of applicant. STATUTORY INTERPRETATION- Definition- Rule in Kelly v R- Mischief rule- Context- Purpose and object of legislation- use of extrinsic materials- ejusdem generis rule. Legislation Cited: Administrative Decisions Review Act 1997 (NSW), section 63 Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1995 (NSW) sections 4, 6, 30 Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 (NSW), section 80 Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW) sections 33, 34. Cases Cited: Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd v GSF Australia Pty Limited (2005) 221 CLR 568 Capello v Roads and Maritime Services [2019] NSWSC 439 CIC Insurance Ltd v Bankstown Football Club Ltd (1997) 187 CLR 384 Federal Commissioner of Taxation v Consolidated Media Holdings Ltd (2012) 250 CLR 503 IW v City of Perth [1997] HCA 30,146 ALR 696 Kelly v R [2004] HCA 12; (2004) 218 CLR 216 MacMahon v R [2011] NSWCCA Municipal Officers Association of Australia v Lancaster (1981) 54 FLR 129 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355 SAS Trustee Corporation v Miles (2018) 265 CLR 137 Sydney Seaplanes Pty Ltd v Page [2021] NSWCA 204 Tovir Investments Pty Ltd v Waverley Council [2014] NSWCA 379 Texts Cited: D. Pearce "Statutory Interpretation in Australia"; Ninth edition, 2019, Lexis Nexis Butterworths; paragraphs 2.21- 2.24, 3.5, 4.63- 4.64, 6.3. Second Reading Speech: Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Amendment (Change of Name) Bill 2009; Hansard, NSW Legislative Assembly, 23 September 2009. Category: Principal judgment Parties: Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Appellant) Paul MacMahon (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: H. El Hage (Appellant)