Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session CITATION: Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services and Ors (No 14) [2006] NSWIRComm 94 APPELLANT Gerard Crewdson PARTIES: RESPONDENT New South Wales Department of Community Services New South Wales Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care Sydney South West Area Health Service FILE NUMBER(S): IRC 4851 of 2005 CORAM: Wright J President; Walton J Vice-President; Backman J Declaratory relief - application for leave to appeal and appeal - appellant's application for Full Bench to disqualify itself on basis of apprehended bias or actual bias dismissed - application for adjournment re contempt proceedings - Respondent's Notice of Motion for proceedings to be dismissed for want of prosecution - overwhelming case in favour - appellant repeatedly failed to follow directions - ultimately abandoned hearing - dismissal not in public interest given extensive history of proceedings - Notice of Motion dismissed. CATCHWORDS: Leave to appeal refused - Declaratory relief - no public interest elements - no issue going to the proper administration of justice - Deed of Release - paucity of arguments on merits of appeal - no error of law in first instance decision - findings of fact reasonably open - appeal dismissed - costs reserved. LEGISLATION CITED: Industrial Relations Act 1996 s 154 Austin v NF Importers Pty Ltd (2005) 146 IR 113 Commercial Bank of Australia Ltd v Amadio (1983) 151 CLR 447 Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Anor [2001] NSWIRComm 216 Crewdson v Department of Community Services & Anor [2002] NSWIRComm 121 Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Anor (No. 3) [2002] NSWIRComm 139 Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Anor (No. 4) [2002] NSWIRComm 172 Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Anor (No.5) [2002] NSWIRComm 203 Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Anor (No. 6) [2002] NSWIRComm 306 Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Anor (No.7) [2003] NSWIRComm 190 Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services and Anor [2003] NSWIRComm 417 Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Anor (No 8) [2004] NSWIRComm 6 CASES CITED: Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Service & Anor (No.9) [2004] NSWIRComm 125 Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Ors (No. 10) [2004] NSWIRComm 262 Crewdson v Director Generals NSW Department of Ageing Disability and Home Care/Department of Community Services (No 12) [2005] NSWIRComm 426 Crewdson v New South Wales Health Department Medical Appeals Panel (EOD) [2001] NSWADTAP 11 Crewdson v Niland & Ors [2001] NSWADT 87 Crewdson v Niland & Ors [2001] NSWADT 87 Crewdson v Niland & Ors (EOD) [2002] NSWADTAP 5 Gerard Michael Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Ors (No. 11) [2005] NSWIRComm 308 Hollingsworth v Commissioner of Police, New South Wales Police Service (2005) 146 IR 285 Humphries v Cootamundra Ex-Services and Citizen's Memorial Club Ltd (2003) 128 IR 37 Knowles v Anglican Church Property Trust (No 2) (1999) 95 IR 380 WorkCover Authority (NSW) (Inspector Moore) v Blacktown City Council (2003) 124 IR 59 HEARING DATES: 16/02/2006 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 03/24/2006 APPELLANT Mr G Crewdson in person LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES: RESPONDENTS Ms E Brus of counsel Solicitor: NSW Crown Solicitor JUDGMENT: INDUSTRIAL COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES FULL BENCH CORAM: WRIGHT J, President WALTON J, Vice-President BACKMAN J Friday 24 March 2006 Matter No IRC 4851 of 2005 GERARD CREWSDON v NEW SOUTH WALES DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY SERVICES, NEW SOUTH WALES DEPARTMENT OF AGEING, DISABILITY AND HOME CARE AND SYDNEY SOUTH WEST AREA HEALTH SERVICE Application by Gerard Crewsdon for leave to appeal and appeal against the decision of Justice Boland given on 26 August 2005 and interlocutory decisions made between 8 May 2001 and 26 August 2005 in Matter No IRC 3140 of 2001 JUDGMENT OF THE COURT [2006] NSWIRComm 94 Background 1 These proceedings are the culmination of wide-ranging and extensive litigation in various jurisdictions and it is necessary to record the background, briefly, in order to place the application for leave to appeal and appeal in context. 2 In 1997, the appellant, Mr Gerard Crewdson, worked as a "residential care assistant" for the New South Wales Department of Community Services in a home for people with developmental disabilities. Following increasing difficulties between Mr Crewdson, his supervisor and some of his colleagues, Mr Crewdson was directed to attend a psychiatric examination at HealthQuest in October 1997. 3 Mr Crewdson attended HealthQuest and was examined by Dr Roberts who formed the opinion that Mr Crewdson was unfit for work. She recommended to both the Department of Community Services (DOCS) and Mr Crewdson that he should seek a referral to a psychiatrist through his own general practitioner and remain on sick leave for three months pending a comprehensive psychiatric assessment, which should then be provided to HealthQuest. Mr Crewdson decided not to follow Dr Roberts's advice of attending his own psychiatrist and undertaking further assessment, over a period of three months, to determine his fitness for work. 4 Instead, Mr Crewdson pursued complaints of discrimination and unfair treatment against the respondents. From 30 December 1997, the applicant submitted complaints to the New South Wales Anti-Discrimination Board alleging that the actions taken by the first respondent referring him to HealthQuest constituted unlawful discrimination under the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977. 5 On or about 20 February 1998 the first respondent placed the applicant on leave without pay, as the applicant had exhausted his accumulated sick leave. 6 In April 1998 he expanded his complaint of unlawful discrimination against the first respondent to include a complaint of unlawful victimisation under s 50 of the Anti-Discrimination Act. He also lodged complaints of 'presumed' disability discrimination against the Health and Research Employees' Association and the New South Wales Department of Health Medical Appeals Panel. 7 In May 1998 the President of the Anti-Discrimination Board referred the complaints of disability discrimination and victimisation against DOCS and against HealthQuest to the Equal Opportunity Tribunal on the ground that he did not believe that the complaints could be conciliated. The Tribunal subsequently dismissed the applicant's complaint of discrimination on the grounds of a presumed psychiatric disability against the Medical Appeals Panel. The applicant was unsuccessful in his appeal: see the decision on 4 May 2001 in Crewdson v New South Wales Health Department Medical Appeals Panel (EOD) [2001] NSWADTAP 11. 8 After lengthy negotiations, the proceedings in the Equal Opportunity Tribunal against HealthQuest were settled. Mr Crewdson, the State of New South Wales, and Central Sydney Area Health Service (now Sydney South West Area Health Service) signed a Deed of Release in October 1998 under which Mr Crewdson agreed to dismiss the proceedings before the Tribunal; release the other two parties from all future actions; and resign from his employment in return for receiving payment of the settlement sum. Mr Crewdson accepted payment under the Deed, but went on to commence a variety of proceedings, and has never submitted a written resignation in accordance with his undertaking in the deed to do so. 9 On 21 January 1999 Mr Crewdson lodged with the President of the Anti-Discrimination Board complaints of victimisation under s 50 of the Anti-Discrimination Act against Ms Carmel Niland (the Director-General of the first respondent), Dr Helia Gapper (Government Medical Officer), Mr Raoul Salpeter (senior solicitor, Crown Solicitor's Office) and Ms Teresa Anderson (counsel for the respondents). The applicant's complaint was ultimately dismissed by the Tribunal under s 111(1) of the Anti-Discrimination Act for want of prosecution: see decision of 29 June 2001 in Crewdson v Niland & Ors [2001] NSWADT 87. The applicant appealed the decision in Crewdson v Niland & Ors [2001] NSWADT 87. The Appeal Panel dismissed the appeal on 4 March 2002 in Crewdson v Niland & Ors (EOD) [2002] NSWADTAP 5. The proceedings at first instance 10 Meanwhile, Mr Crewdson commenced proceedings in the Industrial Relations Commission in Court Session on 8 May 2001 alleging that he was sent to HealthQuest as a form of punishment or to silence him (as a whistleblower in relation to mistreatment of residents); the Deed of Release was signed under duress and did not bar him from commencing proceedings; the referral to HealthQuest was invalid (being without proper delegation) and, consequently, any findings or recommendations flowing from the referral were void. 11 In the absence of any dismissal (constructive or otherwise), Mr Crewdson could not seek relief for unfair dismissal (although we make no observations about any rights he may have had under s 106 of the Industrial Relations Act 1996), and instead sought declaratory relief, including declarations that he remained employed by the New South Wales Department of Community Services; that all decisions relating to his referral to HealthQuest and placing him on sick leave and leave without pay were void; and that the Deed of Release was void. The full terms of the declarations sought are set out in the first instance decision of Boland J, Gerard Michael Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Ors (No. 11) [2005] NSWIRComm 308 at [1]. 12 The proceedings at first instance took over four years. Boland J noted at [2]: The delay may be attributed in large part to the Court having to deal with a succession of interlocutory applications by the applicant seeking summary judgment including: Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Anor (No. 3) [2002] NSWIRComm 139; Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Anor (No.5) [2002] NSWIRComm 203; Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Anor (No.7) [2003] NSWIRComm 190; Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Anor (No.9) [2004] NSWIRComm 125. 13 In dismissing Mr Crewdson's application for declaratory relief, Boland J made a number of key findings (which we summarise below): (a) There was a flaw in the process of Mr Crewdson's referral to HealthQuest and a finding was open that Mr Crewdson was not accorded procedural fairness. However, the referral was not unconscionable, nor done in bad faith, nor discriminatory and could not be said to be without proper foundation. There were reasonable grounds of concern regarding Mr Crewdson's emotional or mental state and it would not have been reasonable to take no action at all (see [47] and [81] of Crewdson (No. 11) ); (b) Mr Crewdson's supervisor had no authority to direct him to attend a psychiatric assessment. However, Mr Crewdson kept the appointment and knew that Dr Roberts was a psychiatrist before the assessment began. Dr Roberts formed the opinion (primarily on the basis of her observations of Mr Crewdson's behaviour at the time of her assessment and not on the basis of material she was provided with by his supervisors), which Boland J accepted, that Mr Crewdson was unfit for work and in need of further psychiatric assessment. Mr Crewdson did not adduce any expert evidence to contradict Dr Roberts's opinion (see [45], [60], [62], [70] and [71] of Crewdson (No. 11) ) ; (c) An opinion expressed by a medical practitioner that led to the conclusion by the practitioner that a person was unfit for work could not simply be rendered invalid because the procedure that led to the person's medical assessment was unfair or even "legally flawed". If it were otherwise, the person found to be unfit could immediately return to work with impunity notwithstanding that he or she represented a danger to himself or herself or to other staff or to the public. (see [70] of Crewdson (No. 11) ); (d) The Deed of Release was not limited to proceedings in the Anti-Discrimination Tribunal and was sufficiently broad to bar the commencement of proceedings in the Industrial Relations Commission (see [106] - [110] of Crewdson (No. 11) ); (e) The Deed was neither unconscionable nor void (or voidable) by the respondents' conduct. Mr Crewdson had been offered terms of settlement of a dispute in the form of a deed and was under no obligation to accept the terms of the settlement. The evidence did not support a finding that the respondents required, forced or coerced Mr Crewsdon to settle the dispute on the terms offered. It could not be said that Mr Crewdson, who was assisted by his brother throughout the negotiations, had a mistaken belief about the terms of the deed, and the case was distinguishable from Commercial Bank of Australia Ltd v Amadio (1983) 151 CLR 447 (see in particular [111] - [125] of Crewdson (No. 11) ). It is worth extracting [117] in full on the subject of unconscionability: 117 Whilst the applicant contended his impoverished state was caused by the respondents and he was forced to sign the deed because the respondents had made him impoverished, it is difficult to see how the applicant could hope to justify a position whereby: he was paid a substantial amount in settlement of a dispute in circumstances where he had no intention of being bound by the settlement if it did not meet his view of "justice and the underlying facts"; did not advise the respondents that he would not be bound by the deed; kept the money despite regarding the whole deed as illegal; and, contrary to his undertaking in the deed, commenced an action against the respondents in this Court. As senior counsel for the respondent correctly submitted, "he who seeks equity must do equity". (f) Nor was the Deed illegal by virtue of (i) non-compliance with the Public Sector Management Act ; (ii) non-compliance with s 121 of the Industrial Relations Act ; (iii) fraud under tax legislation; (iv) criminal breaches of the Community Services (Complaints, Review and Monitoring) Act and the Protected Disclosures Act 1994; or (v) fraud and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice arising from the false nature of a public apology by Mr Crewdson read out in proceedings before the Anti-Discrimination Tribunal on 6 November 1998 and false assertions in the Deed. Rather, it was valid and binding on all parties (see [94] and [140] of Crewdson (No. 11) ). Application for Leave to Appeal and Appeal 14 Mr Crewdson commenced these appeal proceedings on 18 September 2005, almost exactly eight years after the incidents giving rise to such expansive litigation. 15 Pursuant to Rule 44 of the Court's rules, each of the parties appearing in the proceedings from which a decision is being appealed against must be joined as respondents to the appeal. However, the respondents named on the present application differ from those in the proceedings at first instance: rather than joining the Crown or the two relevant government departments, Mr Crewsdon has sought, without leave, to join the Directors-General of the two departments. We do not grant leave to do so. Furthermore, Mr Crewsdon has purported to join HealthQuest as a new, fourth, party to the appeal proceedings, again without leave. Although HealthQuest subsequently filed a notice of appearance, no leave has been sought or granted to join HealthQuest to the proceedings. 16 On 8 November 2005 the appellant filed a Notice of Motion seeking to move the Full Bench for the following orders: 1 Orders to be made either extempore or within 28 days maximum from 11/11/05 granting: (a) Leave to Appeal (b) Appeal orders 1-3 as per Notice of Appeal filed 16/9/05 2 Further to (1) directions to be made for the hearing of criminal contempt charges commenced by the Applicant against the First to Fourth Respondents by filing of this notice of motion under IRC r 237(2). 3 In the alternative to Orders 1-3 orders to stay decision of Justice Boland and any further action by the Full Bench in this Appeal pending application for judicial review in the Supreme Court Court of Appeal. 17 The Full Bench noted that the appellant purported to have added two further respondents to the proceedings as third and fourth respondents (respectively a named barrister and the New South Wales Crown Solicitor) so that he could bring contempt proceedings against those persons. However, an examination of the contempt charges showed that he in fact sought to bring contempt charges against a much wider range of people than the two additional respondents. These persons included: (a) the Director General of Department of Ageing Disability and Home Care (DADHC) and officers under his/her control including two specified officers; (b) in addition to the New South Wales Crown Solicitor, officers under his control; (c) two further named barristers; (d) HealthQuest/Central Sydney Area Health Service including one specific officer thereof. 18 The Full Bench dismissed Mr Crewsdon's interlocutory application in Crewdson v Director Generals NSW Department of Ageing Disability and Home Care/Department of Community Services (No 12) [2005] NSWIRComm 426, holding, inter alia, that any contempt proceedings the appellant might wish to commence must be brought either in the initial proceedings or in separate proceedings which would be allocated in the usual way. The respondents were granted liberty to apply for an adjournment of the appeal should the applicant bring contempt proceedings in respect of the proceedings at first instance. 19 In addition, the Full Bench declined the respondent's application for the question of leave to be heard separately to the merits of the appeal. Instead, the Full Bench listed Mr Crewdson's application for hearing on two days, 16 February 2006 and 10 April 2006, so that the Court could hear Mr Crewdson on leave and the merits of the appeal and then decide on the appropriate course. For the reasons we shall discuss shortly, it will not be necessary to hear the respondents on the merits of the appeal and accordingly, the hearing date of 10 April 2006 is vacated. 20 On 23 January 2006 the applicant filed a Notice of Motion in IRC matter number 477 of 2006 seeking to bring contempt proceedings against the Directors General of the Departments of Ageing, Disability and Home Care and Community Services. We understand that a directions hearing before a Full Bench in that matter will be held shortly. 21 Less than a week before the hearing on 16 February, the respondents filed a Notice of Motion seeking orders that the application for leave to appeal and appeal be dismissed for want of prosecution. That Notice of Motion was listed for 10am on the day of the hearing. Then, at the commencement of the hearing of the appeal, Mr Crewdson made an application for each member of the Full Bench to disqualify himself or herself on the grounds of bias and for the appeal proceedings to be adjourned pending determination of his Notice of Motion in contempt proceedings. 22 At the outset, the parties agreed on the following sequence of submissions and determinations: 1. Mr Crewdson's application that the Full Bench disqualify itself; 2. Mr Crewdson's application for an adjournment of the appeal; 3. The respondents' Notice of Motion seeking orders dismissing the proceedings for want of prosecution; and 4. The application for leave to appeal and appeal. (Each of the sequential steps after the first depended on the result of the earlier step). 23 Mr Crewdson's application that the Full Bench disqualify itself on the basis of actual or apprehended bias was unanimously rejected as being factually without foundation and legally untenable: Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services and Ors (No 13) [2006] NSWIRComm 50 (the decision records the detailed reasoning of the Full Bench, which we shall not duplicate here). While the Full Bench was delivering its decision on his application, Mr Crewdson left the courtroom in apparent protest. The remainder of the proceedings took place in his absence. 24 As mentioned above, Mr Crewdson had advised the Court and the respondents that he would seek an adjournment of the application for leave to appeal and appeal on the basis that the contempt proceedings were directed to the fabric of the proceedings at first instance and, for that reason, must be heard prior to the appeal. However, by the time the Court came to this application, following the agreed sequence, Mr Crewdson had left. Accordingly, the application lapsed. 25 The Court next heard the respondents' Notice of Motion for the proceedings to be dismissed for want of prosecution together with the respondents' submissions on leave to appeal. Mr Crewdson's repeated failure to comply with directions, including his failure to file relevant submissions in support of his case which were, at best, cursory, combined with his abandonment of the hearing of his application for leave to appeal, make it difficult to conceive of a more obvious case for dismissal for want of prosecution. We gave serious consideration to doing so. However, despite the respondents' overwhelming case for dismissal, in view of the extraordinary length of these proceedings, and the fact that after almost five years they had reached the threshold of completion, the Court considered that when everything was taken into consideration (including Mr Crewdson's propensity for litigation) it would not be in the public interest to dismiss the appeal without considering the merits of Mr Crewdson's leave application. The Notice of Motion is therefore dismissed. Leave to Appeal 26 In his application for leave to appeal and appeal, Mr Crewdson not only sought to appeal the final decision of Boland J; he also sought leave to appeal each interlocutory decision pursuant to Rule 45. Since Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Anor (No.7) [2003] NSWIRComm 190 has already been appealed to the Full Bench and dismissed (see Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services and Anor [2003] NSWIRComm 417) the application can only relate to Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Anor [2001] NSWIRComm 216 (13 September 2001, application by respondents to strike out the application); Crewdson v Department of Community Services & Anor [2002] NSWIRComm 121 (known as Crewdson (No. 2); 31 May 2002, application by the respondents that the applicant's Application for Declaration be dismissed); Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Anor (No. 3) [2002] NSWIRComm 139 (21 June 2002, application for judgment on formal admissions) Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Anor (No. 4) [2002] NSWIRComm 172 (30 July 2002, respondent's application for summons for production to be set aside) Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Anor (No.5) [2002] NSWIRComm 203 (19 August 2002, applicant's application for summary judgment on admissions); Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Anor (No. 6) [2002] NSWIRComm 306 (20 November 2002, respondents' Notices of Motion seeking to set aside paragraphs of applicant's summonses for production); Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Anor (No 8) [2004] NSWIRComm 6 (10 February 2004, application by applicant for disqualification on basis of apprehended bias); Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Service & Anor (No.9) [2004] NSWIRComm 125 (24 May 2004, Notice of Motion by applicant seeking interim injunction requiring respondents to restore his employment); Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Ors (No. 10) [2004] NSWIRComm 262 (10 September 2004, Notice of Motion by respondents opposing access to certain documents). 27 Since Mr Crewdson was successful in Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Anor [2001] NSWIRComm 216, Crewdson v Department of Community Services & Anor [2002] NSWIRComm 121 (known as Crewdson (No. 2)) and Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Services & Anor (No. 6) [2002] NSWIRComm 306, we have assumed that he did not intend to appeal these interlocutory decisions. 28 In his application for leave to appeal and appeal, Mr Crewdson provided "reasons why leave to appeal should be granted" and "grounds of appeal" in the form of a convoluted dissertation on the wrongs he suffered at the hands of his employer in 1997 and the many failures of the Commission to rectify those wrongs to Mr Crewdson's satisfaction. These were not, of course, submissions filed in support of the appeal in accordance with the Court's directions. Mr Crewdson did file written submissions the day before the hearing. Apart from once again embarking on a number of personal slurs against Boland J, however, they did little to advance the appeal. They may be summarised as follows: 1. Boland J was in error in finding that Dr Roberts reached her conclusions on any basis other than the assertions made by his former employer and that those assertions were entirely false; 2. Leave should be granted because of statements made by the President about the importance of his appeal; and 3. Putting aside further scandalous comments about the President and the Vice-President, that the judgments in unrelated proceedings involving decisions made by HealthQuest were legally null and void (as were the underlying decisions made by HealthQuest). 29 In view of the patently inadequate presentation of Mr Crewdson's application and written submissions, we have been prepared to take the unusual step of reviewing his application in the light of all written material sent by Mr Crewdson to the Court registry. However, we have not gone so far as to construct a case on his behalf; instead, we have sought to ascertain the principal points and deal with them. In dealing with these principal points, we have taken into consideration the respondents' oral and written submissions on leave. 30 Rather than attempt to summarise Mr Crewdson's complaints in his application and written material, many of which dwell on minutiae (sometimes specifically excluded from determination by Boland J, such as whether an offence had been committed under s 47 of the Community Services (Complaints, Review and Monitoring) Act 1993) or raise matters not raised at first instance (such as Mr Crewdson's allegation of "attempted constructive dismissal" in Ground 7 or his submission that the respondents should be found liable for occupational health and safety offences) we intend to provide a concise outline of those points which are relevant to these appellate proceedings (limited as they are by the bases of the decisions appealed against). It should be noted that, in addition to the trouble the Court has been put to as a direct result of Mr Crewdson's repeated failures to comply with directions, the respondents have also suffered: they have had to deal with Mr Crewdson's case almost in anticipation of its final form. 31 Mr Crewdson has advanced a series of statements in respect of only one of the interlocutory decisions appealed against (which we discuss below). In the absence of any submission, or enumerated grounds in support of Mr Crewsdon's application for leave to appeal the other interlocutory decisions of Boland J referred to in [23]-[24], we refuse leave to appeal those decisions. 32 Mr Crewdson's allegation that the interlocutory decision of Boland J in Crewdson v New South Wales Department of Community Service & Anor (No.9) [2004] NSWIRComm 125 was based on "clear dishonesty" towards Mr Crewdson is without foundation. In that decision, Boland J rejected Mr Crewdson's application for "a mandatory injunction" requiring the respondents to restore Mr Crewdson "to his employment and paid duties pending a final determination" on the basis that he did not have the power to grant such an order. Even on the broad interpretation of the Court's powers adopted by Boland J, such an order would have not only supplanted the final relief sought: if granted, it would have delivered consequential relief not claimed in the substantive proceedings. We agree with Boland J that the implied power to grant interlocutory relief incidental and necessary to the exercise of the jurisdiction or powers conferred on the Court by the Industrial Relations Act 1996 does not extend to the granting of interlocutory relief which would leave no work to be done by the substantive relief. There is no basis upon which to grant leave to appeal this interlocutory decision of Boland J and the assertions of dishonesty are preposterous. 33 Nor is there any basis upon which to grant leave to appeal the final decision of Boland J arising from his Honour's consideration that, despite the flaws in the process, Mr Crewdson's referral to HealthQuest was not discriminatory. This finding was reasonably open to Boland J, was not the result of any error of law, and did not, in any event, form the basis of his Honour's decision, which hinged upon the validity of the Deed of Release. 34 It is clear that the only medical opinion in evidence as to Mr Crewdson's fitness for work as at October 1997 was that of Dr Roberts. It was open to Boland J to accept that evidence and we can see no error in his Honour's conclusion that procedural flaws cannot invalidate a professional medical opinion that an employee was not fit for work. Similarly, it was reasonably open to Boland J on the evidence to conclude that Dr Robert's opinion was primarily based on her observations of Mr Crewdson during the assessment. It was open to Mr Crewdson to ignore Dr Roberts's recommendation that he obtain a comprehensive psychiatric opinion (from his own doctor) to determine his fitness for work, and instead to commence a battery of litigation against his employer. However, the unfortunate consequences of this choice are referable to Mr Crewdson only - not to any wrongdoing on the part of the respondents - and do not form the proper basis for the grant of declaratory relief sought by Mr Crewdson, let alone the proper basis for the grant of leave to appeal. 35 Nor can we see any error in the concise, detailed reasoning involved in the conclusion of Boland J that the Deed of Release was neither illegal nor void for unconscionability. The findings of facts underpinning the reasoning of Boland J on this subject were reasonably open to his Honour and there is no basis to question them. Commercial Bank of Australia Ltd v Amadio (1983) 151 CLR 447 is the leading High Court case in this area of the law, and Boland J correctly applied it to the facts of this case. There is no basis to accept Mr Crewdson's broad, unparticularised, allegation that Boland J failed to take into consideration all the relevant evidence or to correctly apply case law and legislation in determining that the Deed was not void or voidable for illegality. 36 The Full Bench of this Court has consistently applied Knowles v Anglican Church Property Trust (No 2) (1999) 95 IR 380 when determining leave applications: leave to appeal will not be granted lightly, and some issue of real significance in the interests of justice will need to be identified for such an application to succeed (see Austin v NF Importers Pty Ltd (2005) 146 IR 113 at [4]). In applying Knowles v Anglican Church Property Trust (No 2) to Mr Crewdson's application, the Court has considered many relevant factors, including whether the appeal raises questions which go to the proper administration of justice or alternatively whether there is a paucity of argument on the merits of the appeal. 37 We have examined Mr Crewdson's tracts as they pertain to both leave and the merits of the appeal, mindful of the consideration, assistance and allowances which must be extended to self-represented litigants. There are, in our view, no public interest elements to this application which should attract the grant of leave. Mr Crewdson has presented his application as though it was directly related to the just and fair administration of the public service of New South Wales, and in terms of discrimination against whistleblowers, or in terms of a conspiracy to conceal mistreatment of residents, but in our view the decision at first instance fundamentally turned on upon the operation of the Deed of Release and the factual and legal findings pertaining to it. As we have already noted, the factual findings were reasonably open to Boland J and we cannot see that the decision was based upon any error of law. 38 Nor does the appeal, in truth, raise issues which go to the proper administration of justice (see Hollingsworth v Commissioner of Police, New South Wales Police Service (2005) 146 IR 285 at [121]; Humphries v Cootamundra Ex-Services and Citizen's Memorial Club Ltd (2003) 128 IR 37; and WorkCover Authority (NSW) (Inspector Moore) v Blacktown City Council (2003) 124 IR 59). Mr Crewdson has received a fair hearing and careful assessment of his case (including attentive consideration during numerous interlocutory applications). Far from being attended by sufficient doubt, the decision of Boland J at first instance was well-reasoned and we consider that it is not open to serious challenge. Notwithstanding Mr Crewdson's protestations that the proceedings at first instance were "oppressive" to him and that he was "denied natural justice", we are satisfied that the administration of justice has not been impugned. 39 Finally, as we made clear in our synopsis of Mr Crewsdon's grounds of appeal, there is a paucity of argument on the merits of the appeal. 40 Although it is not, strictly speaking, relevant to this application, we wish to deal briefly with one final point raised by Mr Crewdson which appears to have been a matter of some concern to him throughout these proceedings: his misapprehension that Boland J found that he suffered from a "serious psychotic suicidal illness". Neither Boland J - nor the Full Bench for that matter - has made any finding of the sort. The finding of Boland J was of a considerably lower order: an acceptance of Dr Robert's evidence, in the absence of any alternative psychiatric evidence, that in October 1997 she considered that Mr Crewdson was unfit for work and should undergo psychiatric assessment. The very fact that Dr Roberts recommended comprehensive psychiatric assessment - the purpose of which is to diagnose any illness - indicates the absence of any firm opinion as to psychotic illness. Orders 41 In conclusion, we make the following orders: 1. Leave to appeal is refused. 2. The appeal is dismissed. 42 This is a case where, ordinarily, costs would be awarded to the respondents. We have decided to give the respondents 14 days from the date of this judgment to consider whether, in view of the laborious nature of these proceedings and the apparently pyrrhic nature of any costs order, they actually wish to press for costs. Failing any application (including written submissions in support) within that time, there shall be no order as to costs. Should the respondents choose to make such an application, Mr Crewdson will have a further 14 days in which to file written submissions in reply and we shall then decide the matter on the papers. ___________________________ DISCLAIMER - Every effort has been made to comply with suppression orders or statutory provisions prohibiting publication that may apply to this judgment or decision. The onus remains on any person using material in the judgment or decision to ensure that the intended use of that material does not breach any such order or provision. Further enquiries may be directed to the Registry of the Court or Tribunal in which it was generated.