Chi Building Pty Ltd v Wedgwood [2016] NSWCATAP 64

Civil and Administrative Tribunal New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Chi Building Pty Ltd v Wedgwood [2016] NSWCATAP 64 Hearing dates: 23 February 2016 Date of orders: 10 March 2016 Decision date: 10 March 2016 Jurisdiction: Appeal Panel Before: Cowdroy ADCJ, Principal Member R Titterton, Senior Member Decision: 1 Leave to appeal granted. 2 Appeal allowed 3 No order as to costs 4 The decision of the Tribunal made on 4 December 2015 in proceedings HB 15/29312, not to allow Mr Connor to act as an expert witness, is set aside, and the proceedings are remitted to the Consumer and Commercial Division for reconsideration by a differently constituted Tribunal. Catchwords: Civil and Administrative Tribunal – Expert Code of Conduct – status of Code – exclusion of expert evidence constituting a denial of natural justice

Expert evidence – independence of expert – matter of weight, not admissibility Legislation Cited: Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Cases Cited: Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha Ltd v Tomar (No 4) [2012] FCA 385; (2012) 291 ALR 292 Clark v Ryan (1960) 103 CLR 486 Collins Thomson v Clayton [2002] NSWSC 366 Dule v Johnson (1870) 50 N. Hamp. 454 El Hage v Ayoub Design & Construction [2004] NSWCTTT 96 FGT Custodians Pty Ltd (formerly Feingold Partners Pty Ltd) v Fagenblat [2003] VSCA 33 Folks v Chadd (1782) 3 Doug KB 157; 99 ER 589 J and S Zuvela Pty Ltd v Bindleys Concreting Pty Ltd [2010] NSWCTTT 501 Kirch Communications Pty Ltd v Gee Engineering Pty Ltd [2002] NSWSC 485 Knight v Oztrack Pty Ltd [2015] NSWCATAP 119 Li v R [2003] NSWCA 290 Makita (Aust) Pty Ltd v Sprowles (2001) 52 NSWLR 705; [2001] NSWCA 305 National Justice Compania Naviera SA v Prudential Assurance Co Ltd [1993] 2 Lloyds Rep 68 R v Silverlock [1894] 2 QB 766 R v The War Pensions Entitlement Appeals Tribunal; Ex parte Bott [1933] HCA 30 Seyfang v G D Searle & Co [1973] QB 148; 1973 1 All ER 290 Sydney South West Area Health Service v Stamoulis [2009] NSWCA 153 Tan Pharmaceuticals Ltd (In Liq) v Selim [2008] FCA 416 Weal v Bottom (1966) 40 ALJR 436 Whitehouse v Jordan [1981] 1 WLR 246; [1981] 1 All ER 267 Yong v Antworks Pty Ltd [2016] NSWCATAP 14 Texts Cited: Aronson and Groves, Judicial Review of Administrative Action (5th Ed) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Chi Building Pty Ltd (Appellant) Mr Robert Wedgwood and Mrs Margaret Wedgwood (Respondents) Representation: Counsel: D Moujalli (Appellants)