WorkPac Pty Ltd v Thearle [2016] NSWCA 303

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: WorkPac Pty Ltd v Thearle [2016] NSWCA 303 Hearing dates: 4 October 2016 Date of orders: 04 November 2016 Decision date: 04 November 2016 Before: McColl JA at [1], Ward JA at [98], Adamson J at [99] Decision: (1) Grant leave to appeal.

(2) Appellant to file a notice of appeal in the form of the draft in the White Book within seven (7) days.

(3) Allow the appeal.

(4) Set aside the orders made by McLoughlin DCJ on 4 May 2016 in the District Court.

(5) Order that pursuant to UCPR 13.4, Ms Thearle's proceedings against WorkPac be dismissed with costs.

(6) Ms Thearle to pay WorkPac's costs of the appeal and application for leave to appeal. Catchwords: WORKERS COMPENSATION – effect of 2012 amendments to Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW) – 2012 amendments repealed s 151P (Damages for psychological or psychiatric injury) and inserted s 151AD (No damages for nervous shock injury to non-workers) – Sch 6, Pt 19H, cl 26 preserved the operation of repealed s 151P to or in respect of an injury received by a coal miner – mother of injured coal miner commenced proceedings against worker's employer claiming damages for nervous shock – whether cl 26 preserved operation of repealed s 151P such that s 151AD did not apply to mother's claim

STATUTORY INTERPRETATION – construction of Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW), Sch 6, Pt 19H, cl 26

WORDS & PHRASES – "to or in respect of" – Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW), Sch 6, Pt 19H, cl 26 Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) Common Law Practice Act 1867 (Qld) Compensation to Relatives Act 1897 (NSW) Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW) Motor Vehicles Insurance Acts 1936–1961 (Qld) Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998 (NSW) Workers Compensation Amendment Act 1997 (NSW) Workers' Compensation Act 1926 (NSW) Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW) Workers' Compensation Act 1916 (Qld) Workers Compensation Amendment Act 2015 (NSW) Workers Compensation (Benefits) Amendment Act 1989 (NSW) Workers Compensation Legislation Amendment Act 1998 (NSW) Workers Compensation Legislation Amendment Act 2012 (NSW) Cases Cited: Agar v Hyde (2000) 201 CLR 552; [2000] HCA 41 Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenue (Northern Territory) (2009) 239 CLR 27; [2009] HCA 41 Batistatos v Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales (2006) 226 CLR 256; [2006] HCA 27 Burswood Management Ltd v Attorney-General (Cth) (1990) 23 FCR 144 Central Northern Adelaide Health Service v Atkinson (2008) 103 SASR 89; [2008] SASC 371 Central West Group Apprentices Ltd v Coal Mines Insurance Ltd [2008] NSWCA 348 CIC Insurance Ltd v Bankstown Football Club Ltd (1997) 187 CLR 384; [1997] HCA 2 Commissioner of Taxation of the Commonwealth v Scully (2000) 201 CLR 148; [2000] HCA 6 Elkateb v Lawindi (1997) 42 NSWLR 396 Ellavale Engineering Pty Ltd v Pilgrim (2005) 2 DDCR 744; [2005] NSWCA 272 General Steel Industries Inc v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) (1964) 112 CLR 125; [1964] HCA 69 Gifford v Strang Patrick Stevedoring Pty Ltd (2001) 51 NSWLR 606; [2001] NSWCA 175 Gifford v Strang Patrick Stevedoring Pty Ltd (2003) 214 CLR 269; [2003] HCA 33 Hall v Nominal Defendant (1966) 117 CLR 423; [1966] HCA 36 Independent Commission Against Corruption v Cunneen (2015) 256 CLR 1; [2015] HCA 14 Itek Graphix Pty Ltd v Elliott (2002) 54 NSWLR 207; [2002] NSWCA 104 IW v City of Perth (1997) 191 CLR 1; [1997] HCA 30 Kimberly-Clark Australia Pty Ltd v Thompson (2006) 67 NSWLR 187; [2006] NSWCA 264 Kostas v HIA Insurance Services Pty Ltd (2010) 241 CLR 390; [2010] HCA 32 Mangion v James Hardie & Co Pty Ltd (1990) 20 NSWLR 100 Manufacturers Mutual Insurance Limited v Hooper (1988) 5 ANZ Ins Cas ¶60-849 McDowell v Baker (1979) 144 CLR 413; [1979] HCA 44 Medaris v Lars Halvorsen & Sons Pty Ltd (1943) 44 SR (NSW) 71 Mine Subsidence Board v Jemena Ltd (2013) 86 NSWLR 161; [2013] NSWCA 465 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355; [1998] HCA 28 R v Khazaal (2012) 246 CLR 601; [2012] HCA 26 R v Orcher (1999) 48 NSWLR 273; [1999] NSWCCA 356 Rheem Australia Ltd v Manufacturers' Mutual Insurance Ltd [1984] 2 NSWLR 370 Roncevich v Repatriation Commission (2005) 222 CLR 115; [2005] HCA 40 State Government Insurance Office (Qld) v Crittenden (1966) 117 CLR 412; [1966] HCA 56 Tamworth Base Hospital v Durant [2000] NSWCA 209 Tomlinson v Ramsey Food Processing Pty Ltd (2015) 89 ALJR 750; [2015] HCA 28 Transpacific Industrial Solutions Pty Ltd v Phelps (2013) 230 IR 438; [2013] NSWCA 31 Trustees of the Sydney Grammar School v Winch (2013) 83 NSWLR 80; [2013] NSWCA 37 Unsworth v Commissioner for Railways (1958) 101 CLR 73; [1958] HCA 41. Victims Compensation Fund Corp v Brown (2003) 77 ALJR 1797; [2003] HCA 54 Wickstead v Browne (1992) 30 NSWLR 1 Workers' Compensation Board of Queensland v Technical Products Pty Ltd (1988) 165 CLR 642; [1988] HCA 49 Texts Cited: Workers Compensation Amendment Bill, Second Reading Speech, New South Wales Legislative Council, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 3 December 1996 Workers Compensation Legislation Amendment Bill, Second Reading Speech, New South Wales Legislative Assembly, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 19 June 2012 Category: Principal judgment Parties: WorkPac Pty Ltd (Applicant) Maureen Thearle (First Respondent) Downer EDI Mining Pty Ltd (Second Respondent) Representation: Counsel: J Sexton SC and SJ Maybury (Applicant) ID Roberts SC and R Harrington (First Respondent) Submitting appearance (Second Respondent)