Fraser v Health Care Complaints Commission [2015] NSWCA 421

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Fraser v Health Care Complaints Commission [2015] NSWCA 421 Hearing dates: 19 October 2015 Decision date: 23 December 2015 Before: Basten JA at [1]; Ward JA at [86]; Leeming JA at [87] Decision: (1) Dismiss the appeal against the decision of the Civil and Administrative Tribunal, Occupational Division, given on 30 July 2014.

(2) Order that the appellant pay the respondent's costs of the appeal. Catchwords: HEALTH PRACTITIONERS – disciplinary proceedings – appellant administered experimental cancer therapy – appellant's registration cancelled after findings of unsatisfactory professional conduct and professional misconduct – whether Occupational Division of the Civil and Administrative Tribunal applied subjective test to determine that the appellant was recklessly indifferent as to whether the medical practitioner supervising administration of the therapy was registered in New South Wales – whether allegations properly put to the appellant in cross-examination – whether denial of procedural fairness

WORDS AND PHRASES – "reckless indifference" Legislation Cited: Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 (NSW), Sch 5, Pt 6, cl 29 Health Care Complaints Act 1993 (NSW), s 34A Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW), ss 139B, 139E Cases Cited: Allied Pastoral Holdings Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [1983] 1 NSWLR 1 Banditt v The Queen (2005) 224 CLR 262; [2005] HCA 80 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Browne v Dunn (1893) 6 R 67 Collector of Customs v Agfa-Gevaert Ltd (1996) 186 CLR 389 Ghali v Chief Commissioner of State Revenue [2013] NSWCA 340 Giudice v Legal Profession Complaints Committee [2014] WASC 115 Health Care Complaints Commission v Fraser [2014] NSWCATOD 29 Health Care Complaints Commission v Karalasingham [2007] NSWCA 267 Health Care Complaints Commission v Wingate [2007] NSWCA 326 Lucire v Health Care Complaints Commission [2011] NSWCA 99 The King v Connell; Ex parte Hetton Bellbird Collieries Ltd (1944) 69 CLR 407 Kural v The Queen (1987) 162 CLR 502 La Fontaine v The Queen (1976) 136 CLR 62 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v SZMDS (2010) 240 CLR 611; [2010] HCA 16 OV and OW v Members of the Board of the Wesley Mission Council (2010) 79 NSWLR 606; [2010] NSWCA 155 Pollard v Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (1992) 28 NSWLR 659 R v Brown [1996] AC 543 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Nola Fraser (Appellant) Health Care Complaints Commission (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Ms L Young/Ms M Daniels (Appellant) Ms N L Sharp (Respondent)