Nichols v Singleton Council [2011] NSWSC 946

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Nichols v Singleton Council [2011] NSWSC 946 Hearing dates: 22 August 2011, 23 August 2011 Decision date: 25 August 2011 Before: Schmidt J Decision: Suppression order made. Catchwords: PROCEDURE - judgment and orders - suppression orders - reasons for decision - Court Suppression and Non-publication Orders Act 2010 - Local Council - whether complaint against a councillor is a protected disclosure under the Public Interest Disclosures Act 1994 - whether complaint falls under s 130(4)(e) of the Evidence Act 1995 - whether complaint is protected by public interest immunity - whether privilege was waived - complainant's name inadvertently disclosed - competing public interests - complainant's name suppressed - orders made Legislation Cited: Court Suppression and Non-publication Orders Act 2010 Evidence Act 1995 Local Government Act 1993 Public Interest Disclosures Act 1994 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 Whistleblowers Protection Act 2001 (VIC) Cases Cited: Police Federation Australia v Nixon [2011] FCA 601 Police Federation Australia v Nixon [2010] FCA 315 Sankey v Whitlam [1978] HCA 43;(1978) 142 CLR 1 R v Young [1999] NSWCCA 166; (1999) 46 NSWLR 681 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Paul Nichols (Plaintiff) Singleton Council (First Defendant) Bernard Smith (Second Defendant) Scott Greensill (Third Defendant) Gary Thomson (Fourth Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr R Lovas (Plaintiff) Mr J Griffiths SC with Ms M Allars (Defendants) Solicitors: Alex Irving Solicitor (Plaintiff) Sparke Helmore Lawyers (Defendants) File Number(s): 2010/376603