Franks v Warringah Council (GD)

Appeal Panel - Internal

CITATION:	Franks v Warringah Council (GD) [2006] NSWADTAP 53
PARTIES:	APPELLANT Phillip Maurice Franks RESPONDENT Warringah Council
FILE NUMBER:	069025
HEARING DATES:	14/08/2006
SUBMISSIONS CLOSED:	08/14/2006
DATE OF DECISION:	09/29/2006
BEFORE:	O'Connor K - DCJ (President); Montgomery S - Judicial Member; Antonios Z - Non Judicial Member
CATCHWORDS:	adequacy of reasons - application of incorrect test - denial of natural justice - fail to allow tender of evidence - misapplication of correct test
MATTER FOR DECISION:	Principal matter
FILE NUMBER UNDER APPEAL:	053389
DATE OF DECISION UNDER APPEAL:	04/26/2006
LEGISLATION CITED:	Administrative Decisions Tribunal Act 1997 Evidence Act 1995 Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) Freedom of Information Act 1989
CASES CITED:	Warringah Council v Franks & Ors [1999] NSWLEC 65 Warringah Council v Franks & Ors [2003] NSWLEC 193 Franks v Warringah Council [2006] NSWADT 124 Lloyd v Veterinary Surgeons Investigating Committee [2005] NSWCA 456 Attorney-General (NT) v Kearney (1985) 158 CLR 500 AWB Limited v Cole (No 5) [2006] FCA 1234 Gerlach v Clifton Bricks Pty Ltd (2002) 209 CLR 478 Secretary to Department of Premier and Cabinet v Hulls [1999] VSCA 117 Décor Corporation Pty Ltd v Dart Industries Inc (1991) 33 FCR 397 Hynes v General Manager, Hawkesbury City Council [2004] NSWADT 135 Cianfrano v Premier’s Department [2004] NSWADT 255 Director General, Attorney General's Department v Cianfrano (GD) [2006] NSWADTAP 26 Esso Australia Resources Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (1999) 201 CLR 49 Commonwealth of Australia v Dutton (2000) 102 FCR 168 Bennett v Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Customs Service [2003] FCA 53 Talbot v NRMA Ltd [2000] NSWSC 602 R v P [2001] NSWCA 473 Soulemezis v Dudley (Holdings) Pty Ltd (1987) 10 NSWLR 247 Woodside & anor v Director General, Department of Community Services [2000] NSWADTAP 8 Minister for Community Services v CE (No.1) (CSD) [2002] NSWADTAP 7 Commissioner for Fair Trading, Office of Fair Trading v Cromwell’s Auctioneers & Appraisals Pty Limited (GD) [2005] NSWADTAP 25 North Sydney Council v Lygon (1995) 87 LGERA 435 Mifsud v Campbell (1991) 21 NSWLR 725 Ainger v Coffs Harbour City Council [2005] NSWCA 424 Housing Commission of New South Wales v Tatmar Pastoral Co [1983] 3 NSWLR 378 Ferns v Commissioner for Corrective Services [2006] NSWADTAP 50 Wilson v Department of Education (unreptd, Smyth DCJ, 21 December 1989) Hamilton v Environment Protection Authority (unreptd, Ainslie-Wallace DCJ, 5 August 1998)
REPRESENTATION:	APPELLANT M W Sneddon of counsel instructed by D Trodden, DTA Lawyers RESPONDENT S Pritchard of counsel instructed by V Ingram, Warringah Council
ORDERS:	Appeal dismissed

REASONS FOR DECISION

1 The appellant, Mr Franks, applied on 9 August 2005 under the Freedom of Information Act 1989 (FOI Act) to the respondent agency, Warringah Council, for access to documents regarding -

· illegal seawall construction on Collaroy/Narrabeen beach,

· the Council’s prosecution of Mr Franks in the Land and Environment Court, and

· its pursuit of bankruptcy proceedings against him.

2 Some understanding of the context giving rise to the access…