Mehanna v State of New South Wales [2017] NSWDC 427

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Mehanna v State of New South Wales [2017] NSWDC 427 Hearing dates: 10 and 13 November 2017 Date of orders: 14 November 2017 Decision date: 14 November 2017 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: P Taylor SC DCJ Decision: (1) Set aside the orders for access made on 18 October 2017 insofar as those orders concern the personnel files of Officer Katie Bennett and Officer Paul Morrison. (2) Grant access to the plaintiff to: (a) the 3-page "Expression of Interest" document created by Officer Bennett dated 2 April 2014; and (b) pages 42933.47, 42933.48, 42933.51 and 42933.52, as redacted. (3) Costs of the plaintiff be her costs in the proceedings. (4) In respect of the documents referred to in order (2)(b) above, that access be granted at 10am on Friday, 17 November 2017, subject to any claim for privilege. (5) Grant liberty to the parties to make any further application concerning costs in respect of the motion within 14 days. Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE — subpoenas — application to set aside – court order – access - police officer - personnel file – standing Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005, s 3, s 9, s 56 Interpretation Act 1987, s 11 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005, r 33.4, r 33.8, r 36.16 Cases Cited: Alister v R (1983) 154 CLR 404; [1983] HCA 45 Attorney General for New South Wales v Dylan Chidgey [2008] NSWCCA 65 Botany Bay Instrumentation & Control Pty Ltd v Stewart [1984] 3 NSWLR 98 Brimaud v Honeysett Instant Print Pty Ltd (1988) 217 ALR 44 Carroll v Attorney-General (NSW) (1993) 70 A Crim R 162 Certain Lloyd's Underwriters v Cross (2012) 248 CLR 378; [2012] HCA 56 Cosco Holdings Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (1997) 37 ATR 432 Deputy Commissioner of Taxation v Zammitt [2014] NSWCA 104 Downs v Williams (1971) 126 CLR 61; [1971] HCA 45 Fried v National Australia Bank Ltd [2000] FCA 911 Hunt v Judge Russell and De Pinto; Schulz v Judge Russell and De Pinto; sub nom Hunt and Boyce v De Pinto (A Crim R) (1995) 63 SASR 402 Maxwell v Murphy (1957) 96 CLR 261; [1957] HCA 7 Mehanna v State of New South Wales (District Court (NSW), Robison J, 18 October 2017, unrep) National Employers' Mutual General Insurance Association Ltd v Waind & Hill [1978] 1 NSWLR 372 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355 QQ v Commissioner of Police, NSW Police Force [2011] NSWADT 54 Rail Corporation New South Wales v Brown (2012) 82 NSWLR 318; [2012] NSWCA 296 Re ACI International Ltd (1986) 11 ACLR 240 Regina v James Saleam [1999] NSWCCA 86 Trade Practices Commission v Kimberley Homes Pty Ltd (Federal Court, 19 July 1989, unrep) Wonall Pty Ltd v Clarence Property Corp Ltd (2003) 58 NSWLR 23 Workers Compensation Board of Qld v Technical Products Pty Ltd (1988) 165 CLR 642 Wran v Australian Broadcasting Commission [1984] 3 NSWLR 241 Texts Cited: Ritchie's Uniform Civil Procedure NSW Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Rafah Mehanna (plaintiff/respondent on the notice of motion) State of New South Wales (defendant) Paul Morrison and Katie Bennett (applicants on the notice of motion) Representation: Counsel: Mr G Gemmell (plaintiff/respondent on the notice of motion) Mr C Gregory (defendant) Mr G E Doherty (applicants on the notice of motion)