Kitoko v Sydney Local Health District [2024] NSWCA 49

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Kitoko v Sydney Local Health District [2024] NSWCA 49 Hearing dates: 4 March 2024 Date of orders: 12 March 2024 Decision date: 12 March 2024 Before: Ward P; Gleeson JA Decision: 1. Dismiss the summons seeking leave to appeal. 2. Order the applicant to pay the respondents' costs of the proceedings in this Court. Catchwords: APPEALS – Leave to appeal – Arguable case CIVIL PROCEDURE – Jurisdiction – Where applicant alleged that primary judge had exercised Federal jurisdiction to the exclusion of State jurisdiction CIVIL PROCEDURE – Summary disposal – Where applicant had sought summary judgment – Where respondents had not yet been required to file evidence in defence CIVIL PROCEDURE – Default judgment – Where respondents had not yet been required to file a defence CIVIL PROCEDURE – Pleadings – Amendment – Where amendments were based on contentions the primary judge considered were doomed to fail – Where applicant had not been able to identify the evidence on which he intended to rely – Whether House v The King error was demonstrated CIVIL PROCEDURE – Summary disposal – Where primary judge had summarily dismissed the proceedings – Whether proceedings were doomed to fail COURTS AND JUDGES – Bias – Actual and apprehended bias – Whether primary judge had pre-judged the applicant's claim – Whether primary judge was intimidatory and bullying towards the applicant APPEALS – Procedural fairness – Whether applicant was afforded a reasonable opportunity to adduce relevant evidence Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 56, 57, 58, 64, 67, 143 Constitution (Cth), s 77 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 135 Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth), ss 39(2), 79 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 101(2)(l) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 6.18, 13.1, 13.4, 14.3, 14.28, 51.9; 16.3, 31.36, 31.44 Cases Cited: 183 Eastwood Pty Ltd v Dragon Property Development & Investment Pty Ltd [2023] NSWCA 72 Aon Risk Services v Australian National University (2009) 239 CLR 175; [2009] HCA 7 Be Financial Pty Ltd as Trustee for Be Financial Operations Trust v Das [2012] NSWCA 164 Clarke v Health Care Complaints Commission (Recusal Application) [2024] NSWCA 16 DL v The Queen (2016) 266 CLR 1; [2018] HCA 26 Duncan-Strelec v Tate [2009] NSWSC 1252 Ebner v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy (2000) 205 CLR 337; [2000] HCA 63 Equititrust Limited v Tucker (No 2) [2019] QSC 248 Fancourt v Mercantile Credits Ltd (1987) 154 CLR 87; [1983] HCA 25 General Steel Industries Inc v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) (1964) 112 CLR 125; [1964] HCA 69 Hill Top Residents Action Group Inc v Minister for Planning [2009] NSWLEC 144 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 Kioa v West (1985) 159 CLR; [1985] HCA 81 Kitoko v Mirvac Real Estate Pty Ltd [2015] NSWDC 152 Kitoko v Mirvac Real Estate Pty Ltd [2016] HCASL 305 Kitoko v Mirvac Real Estate Pty Ltd [2016] NSWCA 201 Kitoko v Sydney Local Health District [2017] NSWCATAD 209 Kitoko v Sydney Local Health District [2018] NSWCATAP 38 Kitoko v Sydney Local Health District [2018] NSWSC 1461 Kitoko v Sydney Local Health District [2023] NSWSC 898 Kitoko v University of Technology [2018] NSWSC 1007 Kitoko v University of Technology Sydney [2018] FCA 1004 Kitoko v University of Technology Sydney [2018] FCCA 699 Kitoko v University of Technology Sydney [2019] NSWSC 1437 Kitoko v University of Technology Sydney [2021] FCA 360 MD Cosmedical on Hyde Parke Pty Ltd v Spruce Australia Pty Ltd (Supreme Court of New South Wales, Registrar Jones, 23 December 2021) Michael Wilson & Partners Ltd v Nicholls (2011) 244 CLR 427; [2011] HCA 48 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Jia Legeng (2001) 205 CLR 507; [2001] HCA 17 Mohareb v Kelso (No 2) [2018] NSWCA 246 Morocz v Marshman [2016] NSWCA 202 Najjar v Haines (1991) 25 NSWLR 224 Perpetual Ltd v Onesemo [2020] NSWSC 43 QYFM v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2023] HCA 15 R v Australian Stevedoring Industry Board; Ex parte Melbourne Stevedoring Co Pty Ltd (1953) 88 CLR 100; [1953] HCA 12 R v Watson; Ex parte Armstrong (1976) 136 CLR 248; [1976] HCA 39 Reid v Commercial Club (Albury) Ltd [2014] NSWCA 98 Reliance Financial Services NSW Pty Ltd v Sobbi [2009] NSWSC 1375 Rizeq v Western Australia (2017) 262 CLR 1; [2017] HCA 23 Rogers v Whitaker (1992) 175 CLR 479 Rosenberg v Percival (2001) 205 CLR 434; [2001] HCA 18 Royal Guardian Mortgage Management Pty Ltd v Nguyen [2016] NSWCA 88 Smits v Roach (2006) 227 CLR 423; [2006] HCA 36 State of New South Wales v Madden [2024] NSWCA 40 Stead v State Government Insurance Commission (1986) 161 CLR 141; [1986] HCA 54 Tomko v Palasty (No 2) (2007) 71 NSWLR 61; [2007] NSWCA 369 Vakauta v Kelly (1989) 167 CLR 568; [1989] HCA 44 Wallace v Kam [2012] NSWCA 82 Wickstead v Browne (1992) 30 NSWLR 1 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Vangu Kitoko (Applicant) Sydney Local Health District (First Respondent) Teresa Anderson (Second Respondent) Fatima Santiago Pioquinto (Third Respondent) David Qui (Fourth Respondent) South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (Fifth Respondent) Representation: Counsel: V Kitoko (Self-Represented) R Perla (Respondents)