Qasim v Health Care Complaints Commission [2015] NSWCA 282

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Qasim v Health Care Complaints Commission [2015] NSWCA 282 Hearing dates: 16, 17 June 2015 Decision date: 22 September 2015 Before: McColl JA at [1]; Meagher JA at [2]; Ward JA at [91] Decision: 1. Appeal dismissed. 2. The appellant pay the respondent's costs of the appeal. 3. Grant the respondent leave to appeal from the Tribunal's order of 2 May 2014 that the appellant pay the respondent two-tenths of its costs of the proceedings before the Tribunal. 4. The respondent to file and serve a notice of appeal in the terms of the draft notice in the White Book within seven days of the date of this order. 5. Set aside the Tribunal's order that the appellant pay the respondent's costs assessed at $14,000. 6. The appellant pay the respondent's costs of the proceedings before the Tribunal assessed at $70,000, this order to take effect on 2 May 2014. Catchwords: MEDICAL PROFESSION – Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW), s 144 – mental impairment, condition or disorder that detrimentally affects practitioner's capacity to practise – order under s 149C cancelling registration – whether Tribunal's rejection of treating psychiatrist's evidence procedurally unfair – whether Tribunal's finding as to impairment reasonably open – whether Tribunal's exercise of discretion in cancelling practitioner's registration miscarried

COSTS – general rule under Sch 5D, cl 13 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW) that costs follow the event – whether Tribunal erred in exercise of costs discretion Legislation Cited: Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW) Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 (NSW), ss 7, 60 Cases Cited: Allied Pastoral Holdings Pty Ltd v FCT [1983] 1 NSWLR 1 Australian Broadcasting Tribunal v Bond [1990] HCA 33; 170 CLR 321 Azzopardi v Tasman UEB Industries Ltd (1985) 4 NSWLR 139 BHP Billiton Ltd v Dunning [2015] NSWCA 55 Browne v Dunn (1893) 6 R 67 Grant v HCCC [2003] NSWCA 73 Health Care Complaints Commission v Do [2014] NSWCA 307 Health Care Complaints Commission v Philipiah [2013] NSWCA 342 Kalil v Bray [1977] 1 NSWLR 256 Kuhl v Zurich Financial Services Australia Ltd [2011] HCA 11; 243 CLR 361 Lee v Health Care Complaints Commission [2012] NSWCA 80 Lucire v Health Care Complaints Commission (No 2) [2011] NSWCA 182 Ohn v Walton (1995) 36 NSWLR 77 Quach v New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal [2015] NSWCA 63 Re Anderson & Medical Practitioners Act (1967) 85 WN (Pt 1) (NSW) 558 R v District Court; Ex parte White [1966] HCA 69; 116 CLR 644 Wingfoot Australia Partners Pty Ltd v Kocak [2013] HCA 43; 252 CLR 480 Texts Cited: American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed, 2013) Category: Principal judgment Parties: 2014/138939: Shaheen Qasim (Appellant) Health Care Complaints Commission (Respondent)