Civil Aviation Safety Authority v Sydney Heli-Scenic Pty Limited [2006] NSWCA 111

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: Civil Aviation Safety Authority v Sydney Heli-Scenic Pty Limited [2006] NSWCA 111

HEARING DATE(S): 17 March 2006

JUDGMENT DATE: 9 May 2006

JUDGMENT OF: Giles JA at 1; Santow JA at 2; McColl JA at 84

DECISION: Appeal dismissed with costs.

CATCHWORDS: CONTRACT – Whether compromise agreement gave rise to contractual obligations enforceable by the Court – Capacity of Civil Aviation Safety Authority to bind itself in contract – whether agreement unenforceable as a fetter on CASA's statutory discretion.

LEGISLATION CITED: Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1988 (Cth) s26; s42C, s42D Civil Aviation Act 1988 (Cth) s3A, s9A, s13; s28, s28BA, s28BB, s31,s32

Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd v The Commonwealth (1997) 139 CLR 54 CASES CITED: Australian Woollen Mills Pty Limited v The Commonwealth (1954) 92 CLR 424 South Australia v The Commonwealth (1962) 108 CLR 130

PARTIES: CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY (Appellant) SYDNEY HELI-SCENIC PTY LIMITED (Respondent)

FILE NUMBER(S): CA 40573/05

COUNSEL: D F JACKSON, QC/ I L HARVEY (Appellant) B W WALKER, SC/ R J BRENDER (Respondent)

SOLICITORS: Blake Dawson Waldron (Appellant) McLaughlin Riordan (Respondent)

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION: District Court

LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S): DC 2584/02

LOWER COURT JUDICIAL OFFICER: S Walmsley SC DCJ

LOWER COURT DATE OF DECISION: 06/10/2005

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES COURT OF APPEAL CA 40573/05 DC 2584/02