Summerfield v Registrar of the Workers Compensation Commission of NSW and Anor [2006] NSWSC 515

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Summerfield v Registrar of the Workers Compensation Commission of NSW and Anor [2006] NSWSC 515

HEARING DATE(S) : 3 May 2006, 19 May 2006

JUDGMENT DATE : 31 May 2006

JURISDICTION : Common Law Division Administrative Law List

JUDGMENT OF : Johnson J at 1

DECISION : 1. The decision of the First Defendant of 20 February 2006 declining to allow the Plaintiff's appeal to proceed under s.327(3)(b) and (4) Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998 is set aside; 2. The matter is remitted to the First Defendant for determination under s.327(4) Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998 in accordance with the law; 3. The Second Defendant to pay the Plaintiff's costs of the proceedings.

CATCHWORDS : ADMINISTRATIVE LAW - appeal from medical assessment under s.327 Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998 - decision of Registrar of Workers Compensation Commission of NSW under s.327(4) that no grounds of appeal appeared to exist - claim for certiorari for error of law on the face of the record - nature of fresh evidence test in s.327(3)(b) - whether "or" in s.327(3)(b) is conjunctive or disjunctive - function of Registrar under s.327(3) and (4) in determining whether appeal should proceed to Appeal Panel

Supreme Court Act 1970 LEGISLATION CITED : Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998 Workers Compensation Act 1987 Interpretation Act 1987

Campbelltown City Council v Vegan [2004] NSWSC 1129 Shanahan v Trojan Workforce Recruitment (No. 4) Pty Limited [2005] NSWSC 610 Passey v Registrar of Workers Compensation Commission of NSW [2005] NSWSC 1032 Wikaira v Registrar of the Workers Compensation Commission of NSW [2005] NSWSC 954 Aguiar v Registrar of the Workers Compensation Commission of NSW [2005] NSWSC 1017 Riverina Wines Pty Limited v Registrar of the Workers Compensation Commission of NSW [2005] NSWSC 1260 Wise v Sardale Pty Limited [2005] NSWSC 1264 Estate of Heinrich Christian Joseph Brockmann v Brockmann Metal Roofing Pty Limited [2006] NSWSC 235 Cornett v Plateau View Aged Care Facility [2006] NSWSC 244 Aircons Pty Limited v Registrar of the Workers Compensation Commission of NSW [2006] NSWSC 322 Inghams Enterprises Pty Ltd v Iogha and Others [2006] NSWSC 456 Craig v South Australia (1994-1995) 184 CLR 163 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Yusuf (2001) 206 CLR 323 Hanna v Department of Immigration Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs [2004] NSWCA 275 Roos v Director of Public Prosecutions (1994) 34 NSWLR 254 Buck v Bavone (1976) 135 CLR 110 Bruce v Cole (1998) 45 NSWLR 163 Bull v Attorney General (NSW) (1913) 17 CLR 370 Australian Gas Light Company v Valuer General (1940) SR 126 CASES CITED : Azzopardi v Tasman UEB Industries Limited (1985) 4 NSWLR 139 Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd v GSF Australia Pty Ltd (2005) 79 ALJR 1079 Deputy Commissioner of Taxation v Clark (2003) 57 NSWLR 113 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355 Smith v Browne (1974) VR 842 Briggs v James Hardie & Co Pty Limited (1989) 16 NSWLR 549 Australian Securities Commission v Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (1996) 70 FCR 93 Page v Walco Hoist Rentals Pty Limited (1999) 87 IR 286 Green v Premier Glynrhonwy Slate Company Limited (1928) 1 KB 561 Canterbury Municipal Council v Robert W Green Pty Limited (1975) 1 NSWLR 551 Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Baker (1997) 73 FCR 197 R v Hepworth (2001) 120 A Crim R 425 Dunlop v Anstee [2004] VSC 139 Akins v National Australia Bank (1994) 34 NSWLR 155 Doherty v Liverpool District Hospital (1991) 22 NSWLR 284 Glover v Australian Ultra Concrete Floors Pty Limited [2003] NSWCA 80 R v Abou-Chabake (2004) 149 A Crim R 417 Ratten v The Queen (1974) 131 CLR 510 Mickelberg v The Queen (1989) 167 CLR 259 Khoury v Government Insurance Office (NSW) (1983-1984) 165 CLR 622 R v Maclay (1990) 19 NSWLR 112