Clarke v Health Care Complaints Commission (Recusal Application) [2024] NSWCA 16

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Clarke v Health Care Complaints Commission (Recusal Application) [2024] NSWCA 16 Hearing dates: 23 November 2023 Decision date: 07 February 2024 Before: White JA at [1]; Mitchelmore and Kirk JJA at [35] Decision: Application dismissed Catchwords: COURTS AND JUDICIAL SYSTEM – Judges – Recusal – Bias – Where member of intermediate appellate bench had previously made findings adverse to applicant in previous cases – Where full bench should determine recusal application for single member – Whether previous adverse decisions can ground reasonable apprehension of bias – Recusal application refused as no reasonable apprehension of bias or actual bias established by previous judgments Legislation Cited: Health Care Complaints Act 1993 (NSW), s 4 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW), s 149C(1)(a) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 7.36(2A) Cases Cited: Berg v Director of Public Prosecutions (Qld) [2016] 2 Qd R 248; [2015] QCA 196 Chu Sing Wun v Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs (1997) 78 FCR 314 Clark v Attorney General of New South Wales (Recusal Application No 2) [2023] NSWCA 209 Clarke v Herrick [2021] NSWCA 102 Clarke v South East Sydney Local Health District [2020] NSWCA 8 Ebner v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy (2000) 205 CLR 337; [2000] HCA 63 Health Care Complaints Commission v Clarke [2022] NSWCATOD 146 Isbester v Knox City Council (2015) 255 CLR 135; [2015] HCA 20 Johnson v Johnson (2000) 201 CLR 488; [2000] HCA 48 Livesey v New South Wales Bar Association (1983) 151 CLR 288 at 293-294; [1983] HCA 17 Michael Wilson & Partners Ltd v Nicholls (2011) 244 CLR 427; [2011] HCA 48 QYFM v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2023] HCA 15; (2023) 97 ALJR 419 Re JRL; Ex parte CJL (1986) 161 CLR 342; [1986] HCA 39 Reid v Commercial Club (Albury) Ltd [2014] NSWCA 98 Sharmain Daisy Clarke v South East Sydney Local Health District (No 2) [2018] NSWCA 226 Sharmain Daisy Clarke v South Eastern Sydney Local Health District [2018] NSWCA 202 Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Sharmain Daisy Clarke (Applicant) Health Care Complaints Commission (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Applicant unrepresented A Petrie with E Lambert (Respondent)