Heli-Aust Pty Limited v Civil Aviation Safety Authority [2019] NSWSC 506

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Heli-Aust Pty Limited v Civil Aviation Safety Authority [2019] NSWSC 506 Hearing dates: 13 February 2019 Date of orders: 07 May 2019 Decision date: 07 May 2019 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Harrison AsJ Decision: The Court orders that:

(1) The order seeking documents for production and inspection is refused. The plaintiff's notice of motion filed 7 September 2018 seeking an order to produce Documents 92-122 within Part 1H and 1I for inspection is dismissed.

(2) The plaintiff is to pay the defendant's costs on an ordinary basis. Catchwords: PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE — Discovery — Statutory prohibition on disclosure — Whether the documents contain "privileged information" — Whether the documents disclose the contents of a draft report — Whether the documents contain "restricted information" — Whether the documents contain "protected confidences" — Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003 (Cth) — Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Legislation Cited: Act Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) s 15AA Civil Aviation Act 1998 (Cth), ss 9, 11 Convention on International Civil Aviation, Annex 13 Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) ss 126A, 126B, 131A Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) Interpretation Act 1987 No 15 (NSW) s 33 Migration Act 1958 (Cth) Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003 (Cth), ss 3, 12AD, 25, 26, 27, 60, 62 Transport Safety Investigation Bill 2002 (Cth) Uniform Civil Procedures Rules 2005 (NSW) ss 21.2, 21.5 Cases Cited: Attorney-General for New South Wales v Stuart (1994) 34 NSWLR 667 AWB Ltd v Cole (2006) 152 FCR 382 Burmah Oil Co Ltd v Bank of England [1980] AC 1090 Chief Constable of Sussex Police v Secretary of State for Transport [2016] EWHC 2280 (QB) Commonwealth v Northern Land Council (1991) 30 FCR 1 Commonwealth v Northern Land Council (1993) 176 CLR 604 Conway v Rimmer [1968] AC 910 Elbe Shipping SA v Giant Marine Shipping SA (2007) 159 FCR 518 Esso Australia Resources Ltd v FCT(1999) 201 CLR 49 Graham v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2017) 347 ALR 350; [2017] HCA 33 Grant v Downs (1976) 135 CLR 674 Jorgensen v Australian Securities and Investments Commission (2004) 208 ALR 73 Kamasaee v Commonwealth of Australia (No 6) (2016) 52 VR 368 Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co Ltd v The Commonwealth [No 2] (1913) 16 CLR 178 Neilson v Laugharne [1981] 1 QB 736 Patakas v Bevan [2016] NSWSC 1618 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355; (1998) 153 ALR 490 Robinson v State of South Australia [No 2] [1931] AC 704 Rogers v Home Secretary [1973] AC 388 Royal Women's Hospital v Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria (2006) 15 VR 22 Sankey v Whitlam (1978) 142 CLR 1 Singh v The Commonwealth (2004) 222 CLR 322; 209 ALR 355 Sportsbet Pty Limited v State of New South Wales (No 3) [2009] 262 ALR 27 The Australian Statistician v Leighton Contractors (2008) 36 WAR 83 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Heli-Aust (Pty Limited in liquidation) (Plaintiff) Civil Aviation Safety Authority (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: G O'Mahoney (Plaintiff) I Harvey (Defendant)