Chang v McTye [2024] NSWDC 218

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Chang v McTye [2024] NSWDC 218 Hearing dates: 6 June 2024 Date of orders: 14 June 2024 Decision date: 14 June 2024 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Russell SC DCJ Decision: (1) The separate question posed in the Notice of Motion filed on 19 March 2024 is answered as follows: The plaintiff's damages are to be assessed under Chapter 5 of the Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW) pursuant to the operation of s 121 Transport Administration Act 1988 (NSW), and not under Part 4 of the Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 (NSW). (2) Order the defendant to pay the plaintiff's costs of and incidental to the Notice of Motion filed on 19 March 2024. Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE – determination of a separate question – applicable statutory regime for assessment of damages STATUTORY INTERPRETATION – hodge-podge of legislation and amendments – no detectable rational reason explains the difference in categories of claimants – any legislative purpose impossible to determine with any degree of reliability – contextual purpose construction is not possible – linguistic construction preferable MOTOR ACCIDENT LEGISLATION – public transport accident – which legislation governs assessment of damages Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW), ss 34(2)(a), 35(2) Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW), Chapter 5, ss 3, 3AA, 122, 123, Sch 3.14, Sch 4.15 Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 (NSW), ss 1.8, 2.3, 4.1, 4.2, Sch 5.9, Sch 5.13 Motor Accidents Act 1988 (NSW), ss 68, 69 Motor Vehicles (Third Party Insurance) Act 1942 (NSW), ss 4, 5(1), 28(2)(b) Motor Vehicles (Third Party Insurance) Amendment Act 1984 (NSW), ss 35B, 35C, 35D, Sch 3 Transport Accidents Compensation Act 1987 (NSW), ss 3, 4 Transport Act 1930 (NSW) Transport Administration Act 1988 (NSW), s 121 Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 28.2 Cases Cited: Landon v Ferguson [2005] NSWCA 395; (2005) 64 NSWLR 131 State Of New South Wales v Ball [2007] NSWCA 71; (2007) 69 NSWLR 463 Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Ching Yu Chang BHT Leo Alexander Birch (Plaintiff) Iain McTye (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: B Kelleher SC / B Jones (Plaintiff) J Catsanos SC / G Pecelj (Defendant)