McTye v Ching Yu Chang by his tutor Leo Alexander Birch [2025] NSWCA 3

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: McTye v Ching Yu Chang by his tutor Leo Alexander Birch [2025] NSWCA 3 Hearing dates: 8 October 2024 Date of orders: 4 February 2025 Decision date: 04 February 2025 Before: Bell CJ at [1]; Basten AJA at [2]; Griffiths AJA at [68] Decision: (1) Grant the applicant leave to appeal from the interlocutory judgment in the District Court delivered on 14 June 2024. (2) Dismiss the appeal. (3) Order that the applicant pay the respondent's costs in this Court. Catchwords: TORTS – assessment of damages – injury caused by State Transit Authority bus colliding with bicycle – whether damages to be assessed under Ch 5 of the Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW) or under the Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 (NSW) STATUTORY INTERPRETATION – scheme regulating awards of damages by reference to two distinct categories – scope of categories of "motor vehicle" accidents and "public transport" accidents – government bus capable of satisfying each criterion – special or specific category to prevail – result not inconsistent with primary purpose of later legislation Legislation Cited: District Court Act 1973 (NSW), s 127 Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW), s 68 Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 (NSW), ss 1.3, 1.4, Div 1.3, s 1.8, Pt 3, s 3.40, Pt 4, Div 4.1, ss 4.1, 4.2 Motor Accidents Act 1988 (NSW), s 3.4, Pt 2, ss 5, 6, 7, Pt 6, ss 68, 69 Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW), s 3AA, Ch 5, s 122 Road Transport Act 2013 (NSW), s 4 Transport Accidents Compensation Act 1987 (NSW), s 4 Transport Act 1930 (NSW), ss 4, 9, 144, 154 Transport Administration Act 1988 (NSW), s 121 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 28.2 Cases Cited: Commissioner of Stamps (SA) v Telegraph Investment Company Pty Ltd (1995) 184 CLR 453; [1995] HCA 44 Perpetual Executors and Trustees Association of Australia Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1948) 77 CLR 1; [1948] HCA 24 Port of Newcastle Operations Pty Ltd v Glencore Coal Assets Australia Pty Ltd (2021) 274 CLR 565; [2021] HCA 39 R v McN (1963) 63 SR (NSW) 186; [1963] NSWR 945; 80 WN (NSW) 608 The Ombudsman v Laughton (2005) 64 NSWLR 114; [2005] NSWCA 339 Texts Cited: Barnes, Dharmananda and Moran, Modern Statutory Interpretation: Framework, Principles and Practice (2023, Cambridge University Press) NSW Legislative Assembly, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 9 March 2017 P Herzfeld and T Prince, Interpretation (3rd ed, Law Book Co, 2024), Category: Principal judgment Parties: Iain McTye (Applicant) Ching Yu Chang by his tutor Leo Alexander Birch (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: P Herzfeld SC / C J Beshara (Applicant) B Kelleher SC / B Jones (Respondent)