Bennett v Workers Compensation Nominal Insurer and Ors [2023] NSWDDT 8

Dust Diseases Tribunal New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Bennett v Workers Compensation Nominal Insurer and Ors [2023] NSWDDT 8 Hearing dates: 23 October 2023; 10 November 2023; 27 November 2023 Date of orders: 29 November 2023 Decision date: 29 November 2023 Before: Scotting J Decision: (1) I grant leave to the defendants to re-litigate the matters set out in [1] to [5] of the plaintiff's section 25B notice. (2) The defendants are to pay the plaintiff's costs of re-litigating the issues, the subject of order 1, irrespective of the outcome of the proceedings and including the costs of the Notice of Motion, on the indemnity basis. (3) I will list the matter for directions before me in the DDT List on Monday 5 February 2024. Catchwords: DUST DISEASES – s25B Notice – re-litigate – availability of new evidence Legislation Cited: Dust Diseases Tribunal Act 1989 Workers' Compensation (Dust Diseases) Act 1942 Cases Cited: Apostolopoulos v Hatzisarantinos & Others trading as Omonia Constructions (No 3) (2009) 7 DDCR 39 Commercial Minerals Ltd v Harris (1999) 18 NSWCCR 11 Commercial Minerals Pty Ltd v Hollins; Aqual Pty Ltd v Hollins [1993] NSWCA 74 Harris v Commercial Minerals & Ors (1990) DDT 31/90 Harris v Commercial Minerals Ltd (1996) 186 CLR 1 Thompson v Smith's Shiprepairers Ltd [1984] QB 405 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Craig Bennett (Plaintiff/Respondent) Workers Compensation Nominal Insurer (First Defendant/Applicant) McConnell Dowell Constructors (Aust) Pty Ltd (Second Defendant/Applicant) Transfield Pty Limited (Third Defendant/Applicant) Lendlease Building Contractors Pty Limited (Fourth Defendant/Applicant) John Holland Pty Ltd & Thiess Pty Ltd (Fifth Defendant/Applicant) Representation: Counsel: D Toomey SC with A Giurtalis (Plaintiff/Respondent) G Parker SC with D Talintyre (Defendants/Applicants)