QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited v Meredith & Ors [2017] NSWSC 466

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited v Meredith & Ors [2017] NSWSC 466 Hearing dates: 21 March 2017 Decision date: 26 April 2017 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: N Adams J Decision: (1) Quash the decision of the third defendant made on 30 June 2016. (2) Remit the matter to the second defendant for allocation to a review panel for determination according to law. (3) Reserve the question of costs. Catchwords: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – judicial review – motor accidents compensation scheme – assessment of WPI referred to Review Panel – where several new medical reports indicated that there was a non-organic element to the condition of the first defendant – failure by Review Panel to refer to reports – whether denial of procedural fairness – whether reasons inadequate Legislation Cited: Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW), ss 5, 43, 57A, 58, 60, 63, 131, 133 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 69 Cases Cited: Kirk v Industrial Court of New South Wales (2010) 239 CLR 531; [2010] HCA 1 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v SZSSJ [2016] HCA 29 Mahenthirarasa v State Rail Authority of New South Wales (No 2) (2008) 72 NSWLR 273; [2008] NSWCA 201 Moran v Motor Accidents Authority [2013] NSWSC 1135 QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited v Davies [2016] NSWSC 536 RACQ Insurance Limited v Motor Accidents Authority of New South Wales (No 2) [2014] NSWSC 1126 Re Refugee Review Tribunal; Ex parte Aala (2000) 204 CLR 82; [2000] HCA 57 Seller v Jones [2014] NSWCA 19 Stead v State Government Insurance Commission (1986) 161 CLR 141; [1986] HCA 54 Wingfoot Australia Partners Proprietary Ltd v Kocak (2013) 252 CLR 480; [2013] HCA 43 Zahed v IAG Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2016] NSWCA 55 Category: Principal judgment Parties: QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited (Plaintiff) Leza Pam Meredith (First Defendant) The State Insurance Regulatory Authority (Second Defendant) The Medical Assessors Review Panel (Third Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr K P Rewell SC (Plaintiff) Mr T Saunders (First Defendant)