Belmont Night Patrol Pty Ltd v Woolworths Ltd & Anor [2006] NSWCA 128

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: Belmont Night Patrol Pty Ltd v Woolworths Ltd & Anor [2006] NSWCA 128

HEARING DATE(S): 8 May 2006

JUDGMENT DATE: 24 May 2006

JUDGMENT OF: Giles JA at 1; Ipp JA at 2; McColl JA at 3

DECISION: Appeal dismissed with costs.

CATCHWORDS: APPEAL - WORKERS COMPENSATION - error of law - extent of duty to give reasons where no appeal on findings of fact - whether primary judge discharged obligation to give reasons - primary judge entitled to apply knowledge derived from experience on specialised tribunal to make causation finding - sufficient for primary judge to reveal grounds although not detailed reasoning in support of finding of fact - HELD - obligation to give reasons discharged.

LEGISLATION CITED: Compensation Court Repeal Act 2002 Compensation Court Repeal (Transitional) Regulation 2003

Azzopardi v Tasman UEB Industries Ltd (1985) 4 NSWLR 139 Belmont Night Patrol Pty Ltd v Woolworths Ltd & Anor [2004] NSWCA 235 Hevi Lift (PNG) Ltd v Etherington [2005] NSWCA 42; (2005) 2 DDCR 271 Housing Commission of New South Wales v Tatmar Pastoral Co Pty Limited [1983] 3 NSWLR 378 CASES CITED: Mifsud v Campbell (1991) 21 NSWLR 725 MMI Workers Compensation (NSW) v Kennedy (1993) 9 NSWCCR 482 Soulemezis v Dudley (Holdings) Pty Limited (1987) 10 NSWLR 247 Tubemakers of Australia Ltd v Fernandez (1976) 50 ALJR 720 Wallaby Grip Ltd & Anor v Peirce & Ors; James Hardie & Co Pty Ltd v Peirce [2000] NSWCA 299; (2005) 24 NSWCCR 193.

Belmont Night Patrol Pty Limited - Appellant PARTIES: Woolworths Limited - First Respondent Sam Matoka - Second Respondent