Z v New South Wales Crime Commission (No. 2) [2005] NSWSC 1388

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Z v New South Wales Crime Commission (No. 2) [2005] NSWSC 1388

HEARING DATE(S) : 2 March 2005

JUDGMENT DATE : 22 March 2005

JUDGMENT OF : Johnson J at 1

DECISION : Summons dismissed.

CATCHWORDS : EVIDENCE - private hearing of New South Wales Crime Commission - refusal by plaintiff to answer questions - plaintiff directed by Commissioner to answer questions - application for review of decision under s.19(2) New South Wales Crime Commission Act 1985 - whether plaintiff had reasonable excuse under s.18(2) of Act - claim that disclosure would reveal the identity of an informer - claim of fear of reprisal - held that plaintiff did not have reasonable excuse for refusing to answer questions - decision of Commissioner affirmed

New South Wales Crime Commission Act 1985 Criminal Procedure Act 1986 LEGISLATION CITED : Evidence Act 1995 Supreme Court Act 1970

B v N (Grove J, 5 February 2004, unreported) Z v N [2004] NSWCA 445 Rohatgi v Medical Tribunal of New South Wales (Court of Appeal, 20 April 1994, unreported, BC9402485) Mannah v State Drug Crime Commission (1988) 13 NSWLR 43 Ganin v New South Wales Crime Commission (1993) 32 NSWLR 423 Balog v Independent Commission Against Corruption (1990) 169 CLR 625 Taikato v The Queen (1996) 186 CLR 454 Poole v Wah Min Chan (1947) 75 CLR 218 Bank of Valletta plc v National Crime Authority (1999) 164 ALR 45 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v District Court of NSW [2004] NSWCA 324 R v Young (1999) 46 NSWLR 681 Sankey v Whitlam (1978) 142 CLR 1 Commonwealth of Australia v Northern Land Council (1993) 176 CLR 604 CASES CITED : Mok v New South Wales Crime Commission [2002] NSWCA 53 Cain v Glass (No. 2) (1985) 3 NSWLR 230 R v Smith (1996) 86 A Crim R 308 R v Mason (2000) 74 SASR 105 D v National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children [1978] AC 171 Attorney-General for NSW v Stuart (1994) 34 NSWLR 667 R v Abdullah (1999) NSWCCA 188 Jacobsen v Rogers (1994-1995) 182 CLR 572 Registrar, Court of Appeal v Craven (No. 1) (1994) 126 ALR 668 Young v Quin (1985) 4 FCR 483 Registrar of the Court of Appeal v Gilby (Court of Appeal, 20 August 1991, unreported, BC9101644) Mark v Henshaw (1998) 85 FCR 555 Z v N [2004] NSWCA 445