King v Health Care Complaints Commission [2011] NSWCA 353

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: King v Health Care Complaints Commission [2011] NSWCA 353 Hearing dates: 26 July 2011 Decision date: 22 November 2011 Before: McColl JA at [1]; Macfarlan JA at [18]; Handley AJA at [115] Decision: (1) Appeal allowed in part; (2) The orders of the Medical Tribunal of 5 May 2011 set aside, save as to costs with effect from the date 21 days after the date of this judgment; (3) Proceedings remitted to the Tribunal for further hearing, according to law, to determine what orders should be made consequential on its findings published on 5 May 2011; (4) Appeal otherwise dismissed; (5) Appellant to pay 80% of the respondent's costs of the proceedings in this Court. [Note: The Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 provide (Rule 36.11) that unless the Court otherwise orders, a judgment or order is taken to be entered when it is recorded in the Court's computerised court record system. Setting aside and variation of judgments or orders is dealt with by Rules 36.15, 36.16, 36.17 and 36.18. Parties should in particular note the time limit of fourteen days in Rule 36.16.] Catchwords: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW - appeal against a decision of the Medical Tribunal with respect to a point of law - whether Tribunal denied appellant procedural fairness in making findings of professional misconduct against him - whether Notice of Complaint alleged sexual misconduct - whether Commission required to formulate complaints in a pleading - whether Tribunal required to formulate charges

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW - Medical Tribunal - whether Tribunal breached its duty of procedural fairness in not conducting a separate hearing in respect of penalty Legislation Cited: Health Care Complaints Act 1993 Health Practitioners Regulation National Law (NSW) No 86(a) Health Practitioners Regulation Amendment Act 2010 Legal Profession Act 1987 Medical Practice Act 1992 Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 Cases Cited: Allied Pastoral Holdings Pty Ltd v FCT [1983] 1 NSWLR 1 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Info4pc.com Pty Ltd [2002] FCA 949; (2002) 121 FCR 24 Browne v Dunn (1893) 6 R 67 Carew Reid v Carew Corporation Pty Ltd (Full Court of the Western Australian Supreme Court, 23 April 1993, unreported) Commissioner for Australian Capital Territory Revenue v Alphaone Pty Ltd (1994) 49 FCR 576 Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union v BHP Steel (AIS) Pty Ltd [2001] FCA 1758 CSR Ltd v Eddy [2008] NSWCA 83; (2008) 70 NSWLR 725 Dare v Pulham [1982] HCA 70; (1982) 148 CLR 658 Daskalopoulos v Health Care Complaints Commission [2002] NSWCA 200 Eades v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) [2010] NSWCA 241; (2010) 77 NSWLR 173 F Hoffmann-La Roche & Co AG v Secretary of State for Trade and Industry [1975] AC 295 Forge v ASIC [2004] NSWCA 448; 213 ALR 514 Gad v HCCC [2002] NSWCA 111 Hall v New South Wales Trotting Club Limited [1977] 1 NSWLR 378 Harkin v R (1989) 38 A Crim R 296 HCCC v Karalasingham [2007] NSWCA 267 John L Pty Ltd v Attorney-General (NSW) [1987] HCA 42; (1987) 163 CLR 508 Inghams Enterprises Pty Ltd v Timania Pty Ltd [2005] FCAFC 155; (2005) 221 ALR 823 Kioa v West [1985] HCA 81; 159 CLR 550 Kirk v Industrial Court (NSW) [2010] HCA 1; (2010) 239 CLR 531 Lithgow City Council v Jackson [2011] HCA 36; (2011) 281 ALR 223 Lucire v Health Care Complaints Commission [2011] NSWCA 99 Matthews v ASIC [2009] NSWCA 155 MH6 v Mental Health Board [2009] VSCA 184; (2009) 25 VR 382 Minister for Immigration & Citizenship v SZGUR [2011] HCA 1; (2011) 241 CLR 594 Nominal Defendant v Saleh [2011] NSWCA 16; 57 MVR 412 O'Reilly v Law Society of NSW (1988) 24 NSWLR 204 R v Manson (NSW Court of Criminal Appeal, 17 February 1993, unreported) R v McIntosh (NSW Court of Criminal Appeal, 26 September 1994, unreported) Re Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs; ex parte Lam [2003] HCA 6; (2003) 214 CLR 1 Sabag v Health Care Complaints Commission [2001] NSWCA 411 Sabet v R [2011] VSCA 124 Smith v NSW Bar Association [1992] HCA 36; 176 CLR 256 SZBEL v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs [2006] HCA 63; (2006) 228 CLR 152 The Queen v MacKellar ex parte Ratu [1977] HCA 35; 137 CLR 461 Walsh v Law Society of New South Wales [1999] HCA 33; (1999) 198 CLR 73 Water Board v Moustakas [1988] HCA 12; (1988) 180 CLR 491 Weinstein v Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria [2008] VSCA 193; (2008) 21 VR 29 Wentworth v NSW Bar Association [1992] HCA 24; (1992) 176 CLR 239 White v Ryde Municipal Council [1977] 2 NSWLR 909 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Dr Victor King (Appellant) Health Care Complaints Commission (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: J Gormly SC/M Ainsworth (Appellant) P Strickland SC/K L Eastman (Respondent) Solicitors: Holman Webb Lawyers (Appellant) Health Care Complaints Commission (Respondent) File Number(s): CA 2011/171615 Decision under appeal Citation: Health Care Complaints Commission v Dr Victor King [2011] NSWMT 5 Date of Decision: 2011-05-05 00:00:00 Before: Murrell DCJ; Dr E Kertesz; Dr G Yeo; Dr C Berglund File Number(s): 40017/10