Nicol v Macquarie University [2018] NSWSC 530

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Nicol v Macquarie University [2018] NSWSC 530 Hearing dates: 5 October 2017 Date of orders: 27 April 2018 Decision date: 27 April 2018 Jurisdiction: Common Law - Administrative Law Before: Harrison AsJ Decision: The Court declares that:

(1) The decision of the Appeal Panel in matter number 2738/17 made on 26 May 2017 is vitiated by jurisdictional error.

The Court makes an order:

(2) In the nature of certiorari removing into the Court the decision of the Appeal Panel in matter number made on 26 May 2017 and quashing that decision.

The Court further orders that:

(3) Matter number 2738/17 is remitted to the Workers Compensation Commission of New South Wales to be determined in accordance with law.

(4) The first defendant is to pay the plaintiff's costs on an ordinary basis. Catchwords: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW - Judicial Review - Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998 (NSW) - Review Panel Assessment – whether denial of procedural fairness - whether Review Panel failed to exercise jurisdiction – whether Appeal Panel misapplied the NSW Workers Compensation Guidelines for the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment in Respect of Apportionment Legislation Cited: Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW) Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998 (NSW) Cases Cited: Bindah v Carter Holt Harvey Woodproducts Australia Pty Ltd [2013] NSWSC 1290 Bindah v Carter Holt Harvey Woodproducts Australia Pty Ltd [2014] NSWCA 264 Campbelltown City Council v Vegan & Ors [2004] NSWSC 1129 Campbelltown City Council v Vegan & Ors [2006] NSWCA 284; 67 NSWLR 372 Crean v Burrangong Pet Food Pty Limited [2007] NSWSC 839 Ferguson v State of New South Wales & Ors [2017] NSWSC 887 Frost v Kourouche [2014] NSWCA 39 Government Insurance Office of NSW v Aboushadi [1999] NSWCA 396 HG v The Queen [1999] HCA; 197 CLR 414; 160 ALR 554; 73 ALJR 281 Inghams Enterprises Pty Ltd v Lakovska [2014] NSWCA 194 Kooragang Cement Pty Ltd v Bates (1994) 35 NSWLR 452; 10 NSWCCR 796 Makita (Australia) Pty Ltd v Sprowles [2001] NSWCA 305 Mercy Centre Lavington v Kiely [2017] NSWSC 1234 New South Wales Police Force v Registrar of the Workers Compensation Commission of New South Wales [2013] NSWSC 1792 Roger v De Gelder [2015] NSWCA 211 Schofield v Abigroup Limited [2016] NSWSC 954 Wingfoot Australia Partners Pty Ltd & Anor v Kocak [2013] HCA 43; 252 CLR 480; 303 ALR 64 Texts Cited: NSW Workers Compensation Guidelines for the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (Fourth Edition, 1 April 2016) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Gregory William Nicol ( Plaintiff) Macquarie University (First Defendant) Workers Compensation Commission of NSW (Second Defendant) The Medical Appeal Panel of the Workers compensation Commission of NSW constituted by Arbitrator John Wynyard and Approved Medical Specialists Robert Gertler and Brian Parsonage (Third Defendant) Representation: Counsel: EG Romaniuk SC with EE Grotte (Plaintiff) H Halligan (First Defendant)