Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd v Rutland [2015] NSWCA 328

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd v Rutland [2015] NSWCA 328 Hearing dates: 10 June 2015 Decision date: 20 October 2015 Before: McColl and Meagher JJA at [1]; Macfarlan JA at [49] Decision: 1. First respondent's notice of motion filed 22 April 2015 dismissed. 2. Appeal dismissed with costs. Catchwords: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – judicial review – medical assessment under Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW), Ch 3, Pt 3.4 – statutory task of Review Panel under s 63(3A) – whether Review Panel failed to undertake a new assessment of matters concerned – whether Review Panel limited its assessment to asserted errors of original assessor – whether denial of procedural fairness where respondent not given opportunity to address Review Panel on conflicting evidence from which an inference adverse to her was drawn Legislation Cited: Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW), Ch 3, Pt 3.4 Motor Accidents Compensation Amendment (Claims and Dispute Resolution) Act 2007 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), ss 69, 101 Cases Cited: Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union v Abigroup Contractors Pty Ltd [2013] FCAFC 148 Frost v Kourouche [2014] NSWCA 39; 86 NSWLR 214 McKee v Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd [2008] NSWCA 163; 71 NSWLR 609 Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Wu Shan Liang [1996] HCA 6; 185 CLR 259 NRMA Insurance Ltd v Ainsworth [2011] NSWCA 292; 59 MVR 195 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd (Appellant) Kelly Rutland (First Respondent) Motor Accidents Authority of New South Wales (Second Respondent) The Medical Review Panel comprising Assessor Brian Parsonage, Assessor Lorraine Dennersein and Assessor Wayne Mason (Third Respondent) Representation: Counsel: M A Robinson SC with J Gumbert (Appellant) E G Romaniuk SC with T L Hickey (First Respondent)