Fernandez & Anor v State of New South Wales & Ors [2019] NSWSC 255

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Fernandez & Anor v State of New South Wales & Ors [2019] NSWSC 255 Hearing dates: 9 November 2018 Date of orders: 15 March 2019 Decision date: 15 March 2019 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Garling J Decision: (1) Notice of Motion dated 30 October 2018 is dismissed. (2) Defendants to pay the plaintiffs' costs of the Notice of Motion. Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE – whether threshold requirements in the Civil Procedure Act 2005 for constitution of a representative proceeding have been complied with - whether the group members are precisely defined and identified – whether the group members advance sufficient common questions of law or fact – whether there is a reasonable cause of action as against all sixteen defendants – held there was substantial common questions to be determined – not an embarrassing pleading Legislation Cited: Access to Justice (Civil Litigation Reforms) Amendment Act 2009 (Cth) Australian Consumer Law 2010 (Cth) Civil Procedure Act 2005 Contracts Review Act 1980 Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) Health Insurance Act 1973 (Cth) Health Services Act 1997 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 Cases Cited: Agar v Hyde [2000] HCA 41; (2000) 201 CLR 552 Australian Conservation Foundation Inc v The Commonwealth [1980] HCA 53; (1980) 146 CLR 493 Bray v F Hoffman-Le Roche [2003] FCAFC 153; (2003) 130 FCR 317 Dey v Victorian Railways Commissioner [1949] HCA 1; (1949) 78 CLR 62 Giles v Commonwealth of Australia [2014] NSWSC 83 Onus v Alcoa of Australia Ltd [1981] HCA 50; (1981) 149 CLR 27 Pi v Zhou [2016] NSWCA 24 Spencer v Commonwealth of Australia [2010] HCA 28; (2010) 241 CLR 118 Wong v Silkfield Pty Ltd [1999] HCA 48; (1999) 199 CLR 255 Texts Cited: Not Applicable Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Garfield Maria Fernandez (P1) Apikali Fotu (P2) State of New South Wales (D1) Western LHD (D2) Western Sydney LHD (2) South Western Sydney LHD (D3) Sydney LHD (D4) Northern Sydney LHD (D5) Nepean Blue Mountains LHD (D6) Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD (D7) Central Coast LHD (D8) Far West LHD (D9) Hunter New England LHD (D10) Mid North Coast LHD (D11) Murrumbidgee LHD (D12) Northern NSW LHD (D13) Southern NSW LHD (D14) Western NSW LHD (D15) South Eastern Sydney LHD (D16) Representation: Counsel: G Blake SC / P Batley (P1, P2) K Stern / T Phillips (D1-D16 inclusive)