McCarthy v Harness Racing New South Wales [2024] NSWSC 865

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: McCarthy v Harness Racing New South Wales [2024] NSWSC 865 Hearing dates: 14 September 2023 (Written submissions received on 28 September and 6 October 2023) Date of orders: 17 July 2024 Decision date: 17 July 2024 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Walton J Decision: The first defendant shall file and serve Short Minutes of Order reflecting this decision within 7 days of the publication thereof. Catchwords: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – Summons seeking judicial review of decision made under the Australian Harness Racing Rules – Plaintiff presents a horse to race with a prohibited substance in its system – Plaintiff found guilty by stewards of Harness Racing New South Wales of breaching rule 190(1) – Plaintiff contends he was blameless – Whether decision is affected by jurisdictional error – Whether decision is affected by error on the face of the record – Whether Tribunal has erred in directing itself as to question of culpability and to standard of proof – Whether the Tribunal's fact finding process was illogical, irrational or legally unreasonable – Whether Tribunal has impermissibly fettered the exercise of its discretion on penalty and erred in finding that no other penalty other than disqualification was available – Application of categories discussed in McDonough Legislation Cited: Australian Harness Racing Rules Harness Racing Act 2009 (NSW) Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW) Racing Appeals Tribunal Act 1983 (NSW) Racing Appeals Tribunal Regulation 2015 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) Cases Cited: AB v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) [2014] NSWCA 122 ABT17 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2020) 269 CLR 439; [2020] HCA 34 Attwood v The Queen (1960) 102 CLR 353; [1960] HCA 15 Australian Broadcasting Corporation v O'Neill (2006) 227 CLR 57; [2006] HCA Australian Broadcasting Tribunal v Bond (1990) 170 CLR 321; [1990] HCA 33 Australian Rail Tram and Bus Industry Union v Aurizon Operations Ltd [2023] NSWSC 484 Avon Downs Pty Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1949) 78 CLR 353; [1949] HCA 26 Azzi v State of New South Wales [2023] NSWSC 1028 Azzopardi v Tasman UEB Industries Ltd (1985) 4 NSWLR 139 Azzopardi v The Queen (2001) 205 CLR 50; [2001] HCA 25 Bayley v Nixon [2015] VSC 744 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336; [1938] HCA 34 Coal and Allied Operations Pty Ltd v Australian Industrial Relations Commission (2000) 203 CLR 194; [2000] HCA 47 Costello v Racing Appeals Tribunal [2019] NSWSC 1808 CSR Ltd v Amaca Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 338 DAO16 v Minister for Immigration & Border Protection (2018) 258 FCR 175; [2018] FCAFC 2 Day v Harness Racing New South Wales (2014) 88 NSWLR 594 Day v Harness Racing New South Wales (2015) 90 NSWLR 764 Day v Sanders; Day v Harness Racing New South Wales (2015) 90 NSWLR 764; [2015] NSWCA 324 DCP16 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2019] FCAFC 91 Director General of Department of Community Services; Re Sophie [2008] NSWCA 250 DPP (Cth) v De La Rosa (2010) 79 NSWLR 1 Dwyer v Calco Timbers Pty Ltd (2008) 234 CLR 124; [2008] HCA 13 Elnduct Systems Pty Ltd v 3D Safety Services Pty Ltd (2015) 90 NSWLR 451; [2015] NSWCA 284 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118; [2003] HCA 22 Golden v V'landys (2016) 339 ALR 610; [2016] NSWCA 300 Green v Daniels (1977) 13 ALR 1; [1977] HCA 18 Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission v Bell [2023] NSWSC 1150 IAG Ltd v Sleiman (2017) 82 MVR 1; [2017] NSWSC 1346 Ings v Racing New South Wales [2022] NSWSC 1127 James McDonald v Racing New South Wales [2017] NSWSC 1511 Kalifaif Pty Ltd v Digi-Tech (Australia Ltd) (2002) 55 NSWLR 737 Kavanagh v Racing NSW [2019] NSWSC 40 Kirk v Industrial Court of NSW (2010) 239 CLR 531; [2010] HCA 1 Markarian v The Queen (2005) 228 CLR 357; [2005] HCA 25 Matthews v Racing New South Wales [2022] NSWSC 182 McCarthy v NSW Racing Appeals Tribunal [2014] NSWSC 798 McDonough ([2008] VRAT 6, unrep) Minister for Aboriginal Affairs v Peko-Wallsend Ltd (1986) 162 CLR 24; [1986] HCA 40 Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Wu Shan Liang (1996) 185 CLR 259; [1996] HCA 6 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v SZVFW (2018) 264 CLR 541; [2018] HCA 30 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v SZMDS (2010) 240 CLR 611; [2010] HCA 16 Minister for Immigration v Li (2013) 249 CLR 332; [2013] HCA 18 Minister for Immigration, Local Government & Ethnic Affairs v Gray (1994) 50 FCR 189 NABE v Minister for Immigration & Multicultural & Indigenous Affairs (No 2) (2004) 219 ALR 27; [2004] FCAFC 263 Neat Holdings Pty Ltd v Karajan Holdings Pty Ltd (1992) 110 ALR 449; [1992] HCA 66 The New South Wales Bar Association v Evatt (1968) 117 CLR 177; [1968] HCA 20 Norman Loy v Racing New South Wales (NSW RAT, 21 March 2022) NSW Authority v Graeme Rogerson (Racing Appeals Reports, August 2007, Issue 48) NSW Thoroughbred Racing Board v Waterhouse & Anor (2003) 56 NSWLR 691; [2003] NSWCA 55 Palmer v Dolman [2005] NSWCA 361 Plaintiff S183/2021 v Minister for Home Affairs (2022) 399 ALR 644; [2022] HCA 15 Quinn v Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecution (2021) 106 NSWLR 154; [2021] NSWCA 294 Racing New South Wales v Fletcher [2020] NSWCA 9 Rhesa Shipping Co SA v Edmunds (The Popi M) [1985] 1 WLR 948 Roberts-Smith v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd (No 41) [2023] FCA 555 Russo v Harness Racing NSW (NSW RAT, 23 August 2023) Appellant S395/2002 v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (2003) 216 CLR 473; [2003] HCA 71 Schmael v Leach [2020] VSC 562 State Super SAS Trustee Corporation v Cornes [2013] NSWCA 257 The Queen v Kilic (2016) 259 CLR 256; [2016] HCA 48 The Queen v Olbrich (1999) 199 CLR 270; [1999] HCA 54 Turnbull v New South Wales Medical Board [1976] 2 NSWLR 281 Turner v Harness Racing NSW (NSW RAT, 25 November 2020) Weininger v The Queen (2003) 212 CLR 629; [2003] HCA 14 Wood v Secretary of the Department of Transport on behalf of the Government of New South Wales [2021] NSWSC 1248 Texts Cited: Mark Aronson, Matthew Groves, Greg Weeks, Judicial Review of Administrative Action and Government Liability (7th ed, 2022, Lawbook Co Thomson Reuters) Category: Principal judgment Parties: John McCarthy (Plaintiff) Harness Racing New South Wales (First Defendant) Racing Appeals Tribunal of New South Wales (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: VM Heath (Plaintiff) O Jones (First Defendant) Submitting appearance (Second Defendant)