Visscher v SafeWork NSW (No 3) [2023] NSWSC 317

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Visscher v SafeWork NSW (No 3) [2023] NSWSC 317 Hearing dates: 21-22 March 2023 Date of orders: 31 March 2023 Decision date: 31 March 2023 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Schmidt AJ Decision: The amended summons be dismissed and that Mr Visscher must bear SafeWork's costs, as agreed or assessed. Catchwords: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW — judicial review — Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 69 — where plaintiff seeks judicial review of decision of Full Bench of Industrial Relations Commission of NSW — prohibition notice issued by SafeWork NSW inspector under Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) — owner/builder building own house — application for external review commenced before Industrial Relations Commission — Commission's jurisdiction to consider claim of public interest immunity STATUTORY INTERPRETATION — construction of Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) — whether plaintiff a "worker" — meaning of "undertaking" and "workplace"— whether building site a "workplace" — whether owner/builder conducting an "undertaking" EVIDENCE — Privileges — public interest immunity — notice to produce — documents produced in redacted form — objection to disclosure of identity of person who drew safety risks investigated to attention of SafeWork NSW — whether Industrial Relations Commission fell into jurisdictional error by finding that public interest immunity attached to documents — no jurisdictional error — Industrial Relations Act 1996 (NSW) Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), s 314 Industrial Relations Act 1996 (NSW), ss 146, 163, 164A, 179, 187, 188, 190, 191, 192 Law Enforcement (Controlled Operations) Act 1997 (NSW) Occupational Health and Safety Act 1985 (Vic), s 22 Police Act 1990 (NSW), s 6 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 69 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), Pt 34, rr 13.4, 42.1 Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW), ss 3, 5, 7, 8, 160, 195, 223, 229 Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (NSW), Ch 6, regs 36, 225, 289, 292 Cases Cited: Alister v The Queen (1984) 154 CLR 404 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v P Dawson Nominees Pty Ltd (2008) 169 FCR 227; [2008] FCAFC 123 Certain Lloyd's Underwriters Subscribing to Contract Number IH00AAQS v Cross (2012) 248 CLR 378; [2012] HCA 56 Craig v South Australia (1995) 184 CLR 163; [1995] HCA 58 Crown Employees (Public Sector – Salaries 2008) Award (2008) 180 IR 149; [2008] NSWIRComm 142 Gedeon v Commissioner of the New South Wales Crime Commission (2008) 236 CLR 120; [2008] HCA 43 George v Rockett (1990) 170 CLR 104; [1990] HCA 26 Growthbuilt Pty Ltd v SafeWork NSW (2018) 274 IR 317; [2018] NSWIRComm1002 Hussman Australia Pty Ltd v Walker (1993) 48 IR 396 In the matter of Prismex Technologies Pty Ltd; Colin Taggert v Matyear [2013] NSWSC 278 Independent Commission Against Corruption v Cunneen (2015) 256 CLR 1; [2015] HCA 14 Kirk v Industrial Court (NSW) (2010) 239 CLR 531; [2010] HCA 1 Public Service Association and Professional Officers' Association Amalgamated Union of New South Wales v Secretary of the Treasury [2014] NSWCA 112 R v Young (1999) 46 NSWLR 681; [1999] NSWCCA 166 SafeWork NSW v Visscher (No 3); Visscher v SafeWork NSW (No 2) [2021] NSWIRComm 1099 Sankey v Whitlam (1978) 142 CLR 1; [1978] HCA 43 The Owners - Strata Plan No 73943 v Gazebo Penthouse Pty Ltd [2014] NSWSC 1536 The Queen v A2 (2019) 265 CLR 507; [2019] HCA 35 Visscher v SafeWork NSW [2022] NSWSC 908 Visscher v SafeWork NSW (No 2) [2022] NSWSC 1253 Whittaker v Delmina Pty Ltd [1998] VSC 175 Wingfoot Australia Partners Pty Ltd v Kocak (2013) 252 CLR 480; [2013] HCA 43 WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector Farrell) v Morrison [2001] NSWIRComm 325 WorkSafe New Zealand v Dong SH Auckland Ltd (2020) 17 NZLR 841; [2020] NZHC 3368 Texts Cited: Macquarie Dictionary, online ed Category: Principal judgment Parties: Mr Timothy Visscher (Plaintiff) SafeWork NSW (First Defendant) Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr I Latham (First Defendant) Mr I Visscher (Plaintiff self-represented) Solicitors: Department of Customer Service (First Defendant) Crown Solicitor's Office (Second Defendant) File Number(s): 2022/31494 Decision under appeal Court or tribunal: Industrial Relations Commission of NSW Citation: [2021] NSWIRComm 1099 Date of Decision: 17 December 2021 Before: Chief Commissioner Constant, Commissioner Sloan and Commissioner Webster File Number(s): 2021/123596 and 2021/136519