Australian Rail Track Corporation Limited v Dollisson [2020] NSWCA 58

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Australian Rail Track Corporation Limited v Dollisson [2020] NSWCA 58 Hearing dates: 18 November 2019; submissions 26 November 2019 Date of orders: 31 March 2020 Decision date: 31 March 2020 Before: Bell ACJ at [1]; Macfarlan JA at [62]; Emmett AJA at [63] Decision: 1. Grant leave to appeal.

2. Dismiss appeal with costs. Catchwords: STATUTORY INTERPRETATION – whether reference to "compensation" in s 134AB(1) of the Accident Compensation Act 1985 (Vic) is a reference to compensation under that Act or to compensation whether or not awarded under the Act or the Act of some other state or territory – expressio unius reasoning inappropriate where dealing with interpretation of a "patchwork" statute.

WORKERS COMPENSATION – whether worker who was injured in Victoria but was not entitled to compensation under Victorian workers compensation legislation was nevertheless required to pass through statutory gateways under Victorian legislation when seeking common law damages – where worker had received compensation under NSW workers compensation scheme – whether reference to "compensation" in s 134AB(1) of Accident Compensation Act 1985 (Vic) is a reference to compensation under that Act or to compensation whether awarded under that Act or the Act of some other state or territory. Legislation Cited: Accident Compensation (Common Law and Benefits) Act 2000 (Vic) s 18 Accident Compensation (Further Amendment) Act 1992 (Vic) Accident Compensation (Miscellaneous Amendment) Act 1997 (Vic) ss 1(b), 45, 47(1) Accident Compensation (WorkCover Insurance) Act 1993 (Vic) s 7 Accident Compensation (WorkCover) Act 1992 (Vic) s 46 Accident Compensation Act 1985 (Vic) ss 3, 4(4), 5AA(2), 18, 19, 20, 80, 82, 82C(1), 84, 84B, 85, 86(1), 88(1), 91(3AAA), 91A(1), 92(1), 92A(3), 92B(2), 92D(4), 92D(5), 93, 97(4), 97(4B), 98A(1), 98C(1), 98E(1), 99(1), 99A(1), 103A(1), 104B, 114F(3), 116, 117, 123B, 125, 125A, 125B, 126(3), 127(1), 129D(4), 129MA-129MF, 129N(1), 130(1)(c), 134A, 134AA-134AGB, 135, 135A, 138B(1), 138B(3), Part I, Part II, Part III Divs 1-3, Pt IV Divs 1, 2A, 5, Div 6AB, Div 8A, Div 9 Accident Compensation and Transport Accident Acts (Amendment) Act 2003 (Vic) Interpretation of Legislation Act 1984 (Vic) ss 35, 48 Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) s 80 Juries Act 2000 (Vic) s 55 Limitation of Actions Act 1958 (Vic) ss 27A, 27D, 27L, 27N Police Regulation (Superannuation) Act 1906 (NSW) s 10(1A) Suitors' Fund Act 1951 (NSW) Transport Accident Act 1986 (Vic) ss 1, 11(e), 35(1), 93 Workers Compensation Act 1958 (Vic) Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW) s 9AA Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998 (NSW) Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013 (Vic) s 624(1) Wrongs Act 1958 (Vic) Part III Cases Cited: Balog v Independent Commission Against Corruption (1990) 169 CLR 625; [1990] HCA 28 Barwon Spinners Pty Ltd v Podolak (2005) 14 VR 622; [2005] VSCA 33 Berowra Holdings Pty Ltd v Gordon (2006) 225 CLR 364; [2006] HCA 32 Coco v R (1994) 179 CLR 427; [1994] HCA 15 Colquhoun v Brooks (1888) 21 QBD 52 Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Hadgkiss (2007) 169 FCR 151; [2007] FCAFC 197 Daniels Corporation International Pty Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (2002) 213 CLR 543; [2002] HCA 49 Di Paolo v Salter Constructions Pty Ltd [2015] VSCA 230 Electrolux Home Products Pty Ltd v Australian Workers' Union (2004) 221 CLR 309; [2004] HCA 40 Farrar v Western Metropolitan College of TAFE [1999] 1 VR 224; [1998] VSCA 25 Georgopoulos v Silaforts Painting Pty Ltd (2012) 37 VR 232; [2012] VSCA 179 Grech v Orica Australia Pty Ltd (2006) 14 VR 602; [2006] VSCA 172 Houssein v Under Secretary, Department of Industrial Relations and Technology (NSW) (1982) 148 CLR 88; [1982] HCA 2 John Pfeiffer v Rogerson (2000) 203 CLR 503; [2000] HCA 36 Kidman v Sefa [1996] 1 VR 86 Martin v Bailey (2009) 26 VR 270; [2009] VSCA 263 Maurice Blackburn Cashman v Brown (2011) 242 CLR 647; [2011] HCA 22 National Grid Co plc v Mayes [2001] 1 WLR 864 Potter v Minahan (1908) 7 CLR 277; [1908] HCA 63 Quinlan v Catholic Regional College Sydenham [2015] VSC 463 Robart v Matchplan Pty Ltd (in liq) (Victorian Court of Appeal, 21 December 1993, unrep) Rogers v State of Victoria [2011] VSC 298 SAS Trustee Corporation v Miles (2018) 361 ALR 206; [2018] HCA 55 Wickham v Freight Lines Pty Ltd v Ferguson (2013) 83 NSWLR 162; [2013] NSWCA 66 Texts Cited: P Herzfeld and T Prince, Interpretation (2nd ed, 2020, LawBook Co, forthcoming) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Australian Rail Track Corporation Limited (Applicant/Appellant) Ryan Dollisson (First Respondent) P & C Excavations Pty Ltd (Second Respondent) Zero 05 Pty Limited t/as C R Rail (Third Respondent) Representation: Counsel: S Smith QC with J Mitchell (Applicant/Appellant) I Roberts SC with R Ajzensztat and P Menary (First Respondent) Submitting appearance (Second and Third Respondents)