SafeWork NSW v AKA Civil Australia Pty Ltd [2019] NSWDC 257

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: SafeWork NSW v AKA Civil Australia Pty Ltd [2019] NSWDC 257 Hearing dates: 7 June 2019 Date of orders: 14 June 2019 Decision date: 14 June 2019 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Russell SC DCJ Decision: (1) Grant leave to the prosecutor to amend the Summons in accordance with MFI 5. (2) Dismiss the defendant's Motion filed on 11 March 2019. (3) I will hear the parties further on costs. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – prosecution – work health and safety – duty of persons undertaking business – risk of death or serious injury

PROCEDURE – whether proposed amendments to wording of summons prejudicial

PROCEDURE – application by defendant for proceedings to be quashed – functions of indictment – fair trial – prosecution to identify measures that should have been taken and prove beyond reasonable doubt

PROCEDURE – application by defendant for proceedings to be stayed or dismissed – must be abuse of process – whether continuation of proceedings involves unacceptable injustice or unfairness – onus on applicant to prove Legislation Cited: Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW) Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 (NSW) Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) Cases Cited: Barron v Attorney-General (1987) 10 NSWLR 215 Barton v The Queen [1980] HCA 48; (1980) 147 CLR 75 Boland v Safe is Safe Pty Limited [2017] SAIRC 17 Borodin v R [2006] NSWCCA 83 Jago v District Court (NSW) [1989] HCA 46; (1989) 168 CLR 23 John L Pty Ltd v Attorney-General (NSW) [1987] HCA 42; (1987) 163 CLR 508 at 519 Kirk v Industrial Court of New South Wales [2010] HCA 1;(2010) 239 CLR 531 R v Cook (NSWCCA, unreported, 9 May 1990) R v Board of Trustees of the Science Museum [1993] 1 WLR 1171; [1993] 3 All ER 853 R v Janceski [2005] NSWCCA 288;(2005) 64 NSWLR 10 R v Rushton [1967] VR 842 R v Stuart (NSWCCA, unreported, 8 March 1996) S v The Queen [1989] HCA 66; (1989) 168 CLR 266 at 284-285 SafeWork NSW v Freyssinet Australia Pty Ltd [2017] NSWDC 290 SafeWork NSW v Hetherington [2019] NSWDC 11 Thiess Pty Limited v Industrial Court of New South Wales [2010] NSWCA 252; (2010) 78 NSWLR 94 Walsh v Tattersall [1996] HCA 26;(1996) 188 CLR 77 at 90, 110-111 Walton v Gardiner [1993] HCA 77; (1993) 177 CLR 378, 392-3 Williams v Spautz [1992] HCA 34; (1992) 174 CLR 509, 520 Texts Cited: Australian Standard 2601-2001 Demolition of Structures Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: SafeWork NSW (Prosecutor) AKA Civil Australia Pty Ltd (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: T Hammond (Prosecutor) S McIntosh (Defendant