BUCKETT v CONSUMER CLAIMS TRIBUNAL & ORS [2001] NSWSC 256

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : BUCKETT v CONSUMER CLAIMS TRIBUNAL & ORS [2001] NSWSC 256 CURRENT JURISDICTION: Administrative Law Division FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 30009/99 HEARING DATE(S) : 8 August 2000 3 November 2000 JUDGMENT DATE : 10 April 2001

Lionel Clarence Austin Buckett (Plaintiff) v PARTIES : The Consumer Claims Tribunal (First Defendant) John Szymanowicz (Second Defendant) Sonia Harris (Third Defendant) Minister for Fair Trading (Fourth Defendant/Intervenor) JUDGMENT OF : Adams J at 1

LOWER COURT Consumer Claims Tribunal JURISDICTION : LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : Mr B Oslington QC with Ms A Mountfort (Plaintiff) Mr D Stack (Fourth Defendant/Intrervenor) SOLICITORS : Roderick Storie (Plaintiff) I V Knight (Fourth Defendant/(Intervenor) CATCHWORDS : Consumer Claims Tribunal - nature of jurisdiction - duty of referee to conciliate - refusal of adjournment - whether breach of natural justice - prior determination quashed by Supreme Court - whether Tribunal functus officio - whether fresh Tribunal can determine original claim - when claim form is lodged - removed to add particulars and returned - does not affect date of lodgment - amendments to claim made out of time - whether permissible - whether formal order making amendments is necessary LEGISLATION CITED : Consumer Claims Tribunal Act 1987 Consumer Claims Act 1998 Cameron v Cole 1943-44 68 CLR 571 Crane v Director of Public Prosecutions (1921) 2 AC 299 Macksville & District Hospital v Mayze (1987) 10 NSWLR 708 CASES CITED : Archcom Pty Limited v Consumer Claims Tribunal (unreported, NSWSC 29 September 1995) Smith v Consumer Claims Tribunal & others (unreported, NSWSC 8 April 1998) Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 ANZ Group Limited v Larcos 1987 13 NSWLR 286 Fintron Pty Limited v The Registrar, Consumer Claims Tribunal & Ors (unreported, NSWSC 16 December 1997) DECISION : Summons is dismissed with costs.