Miller v Secretary, Department of Communities and Justice [2022] NSWCA 190

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Miller v Secretary, Department of Communities and Justice [2022] NSWCA 190 Hearing dates: 1 June 2022 Date of orders: 23 September 2022 Decision date: 23 September 2022 Before: Ward P at [1]; Brereton JA at [129]; Mitchelmore JA at [138] Decision: 1. Appeal dismissed with costs. Catchwords: WORKERS COMPENSATION — Disease injury — Aggravation, acceleration, exacerbation, or deterioration in the course of employment — Where the deceased suffered an asthma attack causing cardiac arrest and anoxia, and ultimately resulting in her death, during the course of her employment — Where appellants initially pleaded the injury as an "asthma attack" — Where appellants brought a second claim for compensation pleading the injury as "cardiac arrest and anoxia" — Whether Anshun estoppel precluded the appellants from bringing the second claim STATUTORY INTERPRETATION — Applicability of Anshun estoppel to the Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW) and the Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998 (NSW) Legislation Cited: Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth) Compensation Courts Act 1984 (NSW), s 17 District Court Act 1973 (NSW) Personal Injury Commission Act 2020 (NSW), s 54 Workers Compensation Act 1971 (SA), s 69 Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW), ss 4, 9(1), 9A, 9AC(1), 25, 26, 66, 83(1), 87A(2)(c), 87B(1), 87E(1), 149, 151A(1)(a), Pt 3, Div 8, Pt 5 Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1986 (SA), s 43 Workmen's Compensation Act 1971 (SA) Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998 (NSW), ss 60A(2), 65, 66(2A), 78, 105(1), 254(1), 255(1)(b), 259A(1), 260(1), 261, 263, 274(1), 282(1)(a), 287(1), 287A, 288(1), 289, 294, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 357, 364(1), 366(1), 367(1)(a), 368(1), 369, 372(2), 375(1), 378 Cases Cited: Ada v Westmead Centre Parramatta Hospital (1985) 1 NSWCCR 101 Administration of Territory of Papua and New Guinea v Guba (1973) 130 CLR 353; [1973] HCA 59 Angeleska (known as Slaveska) v State of Victoria (2015) 49 VR 131; [2015] VSCA 140 British Airways Board v Laker Airways Ltd [1985] AC 58 Bruce v Grocon Ltd (1995) 11 NSWCCR 247; [1995] NSWCC 10 Chamberlain v Deputy Commissioner of Taxation (1988) 164 CLR 502; [1988] HCA 21 Commonwealth v Snell (2019) 269 FCR 18; [2019] FCAFC 57 Coshott v Barry [2015] NSWCA 257 CSR Ltd v Cigna Insurance Australia Ltd (1997) 189 CLR 345; [1997] HCA 33 Farah Construction Pty Ltd v Say-Dee Pty Ltd (2007) 230 CLR 89; [2007] HCA 22 Israel v Catering Industries (NSW) Pty Ltd [2017] NSWWCCPD 53 Jackson v Goldsmith (1950) 81 CLR 446; [1950] HCA 22 Lambidis v Commissioner of Police (1995) 37 NSWLR 320 Miller and Tuhi v Secretary, Department of Family and Community Services [2021] NSWWCC 22 Miller v Secretary, Department of Communities and Justice (No 9) [2021] NSWPICPD 29 Miller v Secretary, Department of Communities and Justice (Workers Compensation Commission (NSW), Arbitrator Wynyard, 11 October 2019, unrep) Miller v Secretary, Department of Communities and Justice (Workers Compensation Commission (NSW), Arbitrator Harris, 1 July 2020, unrep) Miller v State of New South Wales [2017] NSWWCCPD 38 Miller v State of New South Wales [2018] NSWCA 152 Miller v The State of New South Wales [2017] NSWWCC 66 O'Brien v Tanning Research Laboratories Inc (1988) 14 NSWLR 601 Orellana-Fuentes v Standard Knitting Mills Pty Ltd (2003) 57 NSWLR 282; [2003] NSWCA 146 Port of Melbourne Authority v Anshun Pty Ltd (1981) 147 CLR 589; [1981] HCA 45 Rogers v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 251; [1994] HCA 42 Salmon Street Ltd (in liq) v Jorgensen (1991) 56 SASR 158 Secretary, Department of Communities and Justice v Miller [2020] NSWWCCPD 38 Secretary, Department of Communities and Justice v Miller [2020] NSWWCCPD 57 Southern Tablelands Health Service v Solomon (1999) 19 NSWCCR 235 Stephenson v Return to Work Corporation of South Australia (2019) 134 SASR 141; [2019] SASCFC 89 Thompson v George Western Foods Ltd (1990) 6 NSWCCR 370 Timbercorp Finance Pty Ltd (in liq) v Collins (2016) 259 CLR 212; [2016] HCA 44 Tomlinson v Ramsey Food Processing Pty Ltd (2015) 256 CLR 507; [2015] HCA 28 VACC Insurance Co Ltd v BP Australia Ltd (1999) 47 NSWLR 716; [1999] NSWCA 427 Category: Principal judgment Parties: David Miller (First Appellant) Terren Tuhi (Second Appellant) Department of Communities and Justice (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: D Hooke SC with SH Hartford Davis (Appellants) PM Morris SC with L Morgan (Respondent)