REPATRIATION COMMISSION v VIETNAM VETERANS' ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA NSW BRANCH INC. & ORS [2000] NSWCA 65

Reported Decision : 48 NSWLR 548 154 FLR 345

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : REPATRIATION COMMISSION v VIETNAM VETERANS' ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA NSW BRANCH INC. & ORS [2000] NSWCA 65 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40380/99; 40382/99 HEARING DATE(S) : 03/02/00, 04/02/00 JUDGMENT DATE : 31 March 2000

Repatriation Commission PARTIES : Vietnam Veterans' Association of Australia NSW Branch Inc. Specialist Medical Review Council Repatriation Medical Authority JUDGMENT OF : Spigelman CJ at 1; Meagher JA at 201; Handley JA at 211

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Supreme Court LOWER COURT 30133/96; 30139/96 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Greg James J JUDICIAL OFFICER :

P J Hanks QC (Appellant) COUNSEL : M B Smith (Respondent 1) D E J Ryan SC / C Champion (Respondent 3) Australian Government Solicitor (Appellant) SOLICITORS : T Murphy, Legal Aid Commission of NSW (Respondent 1) Australian Government Solicitor (Respondent 2) Australian Government Solicitor (Respondent 3) CATCHWORDS : ADMINISTRATIVE LAW - veterans' pensions - Statements of Principle - formulation by the Repatriation Medical Authority - Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (Cth), s196B - ADMINISTRATIVE LAW - veterans' pensions - Statements of Principle - review by the Specialist Medical Review Council - Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (Cth), s196W and s196Y - ADMINISTRATIVE LAW - veterans' pensions - "available" - Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (Cth), s196W - ADMINISTRATIVE LAW - veterans' pensions - "sound medical-scientific evidence", "meets the criteria" - Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (Cth), s5AB(2) - ADMINISTRATIVE LAW - veterans' pensions - "reasonable hypothesis" - "reasonable satisfaction" - Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (Cth), s120(1), s120(3) and s120(4). - ADMINISTRATIVE LAW - procedural fairness - obligation to limit statutory review to matters raised in the application. Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 (Cth) LEGISLATION CITED : Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) Veterans' Affairs (1994-95) Budget Measures Legislation Amendment Act 1994 (Cth) Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (Cth) Ainsworth v Criminal Justice Commission (1992) 175 CLR 564 Annetts v McCann (1990) 170 CLR 596 Attorney General (NSW) v Quin (1990) 170 CLR 1 Baba v Parole Board of New South Wales (1986) 5 NSWLR 338 Bowtell v Goldsborough Mort & Co Ltd (1905) 3 CLR 444 Bread Manufacturers of NSW v Evans (1981) 180 CLR 404 Bushell v Repatriation Commission (1992) 175 CLR 408 Byrnes v Repatriation Commission (1993) 177 CLR 564 CIC Insurance Ltd v Bankstown Football Club Ltd (1996-1997) 187 CLR 384 Cooper Brookes (Wollongong) Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (Cth) (1981) 147 CLR 297 Craig v South Australia (1994-1995) 184 CLR 163 Delaney v Staples [1992] 1 AC 687 Deledio v Repatriation Commission (1997) 47 ALD 261 East v Repatriation Commission (1987) 16 FCR 517 Eastleigh Borough Council v Betts [1983] 2 AC 613 Ex parte Hebburn Ltd Re Kearsley Shire Council (1947) 47 SR (NSW) 416 J v Lieschke (1987) 162 CLR 447 CASES CITED: K & S Lake City Freighters Pty Ltd v Gordon & Gotch Ltd (1985) 157 CLR 309 Kioa v West (1985) 159 CLR 550 McKenna v Repatriation Commission (1999) 86 FCR 144 Minister for Aboriginal Affairs v Peko-Wallsend Ltd (1986-1987) 162 CLR 24 Minister of Health v The King (on the Prosecution of Yaffe) [1931] AC 494 Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Teoh (1994-1995) 183 CLR 273 Ogden Industries Pty Ltd v Lucas [1970] AC 113 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 335 R v Secretary of State for Health: Ex parte United States Tobacco International Inc [1992] QB 353 R v Secretary of State for Social Services; Ex parte AMA [1986] 1 WLR 1 R v Wilson; Ex parte Kisch (1934) 52 CLR 234 R v Young (1999) 46 NSWLR 681 Re Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance; Ex parte Arnel (1994) 179 CLR 84 Repatriation Commission v Deledio (1998) 83 FCR 82 Repatriation Commission v Gosewinckel [1999] FCA 1279 Seltsam Pty Ltd v McGuinness [2000] NSWCCA 29 Shop Distributive & Allied Employees Association v Minister for Industrial Affairs (SA) (1995) 183 CLR 552 Victoria v Master Builders' Association (Vic) [1995] 2 VR 121 Vietnam Veterans' Affairs Association of Australia New South Wales Branch Inc v Cohen & Ors (1996) 70 FCR 419 DECISION : PROCEEDINGS No. 40380 of 1999; 1 Appeal allowed.; 2 Vacate the orders of Greg James J in Proceedings No S30139 of 1996.; 3 Each party to bear its own costs of the proceedings including the costs of the appeal.; PROCEEDINGS No. 40382 of 1999; 1 Appeal allowed in part.; 2 Vacate the orders of Greg James J in Proceedings No. S30133 of 1996.; 3 Declare that Para 1 of the Declaration made on 22 December 1995 by the Specialist Medical Review Council is void.; 4 Order the Appellant to pay one half of the costs of the First Respondent's costs of the appeal and one half of the said Respondent's costs below.