Honda Australia Motorcycle v Johnstone

The case of Honda Australia Motorcycle v Johnstone was heard in the Queensland Supreme Court. The dispute arose from a coroner's inquest into the death of a motorcyclist during a race event. The legal issues at the heart of the case centred on whether the coroner had exhibited apprehended bias by approaching a witness to participate in a seminar for coroners. Honda Australia Motorcycle, the respondent, argued that this action constituted bias, thereby undermining the fairness of the inquest.

The court needed to determine whether the coroner's actions constituted a real likelihood of bias under the principles established in Porter v Magill. This required an analysis of whether a reasonable observer, fully informed of the facts, might think that the coroner might not deal with the proceedings impartially. The court examined the context and nature of the coroner's approach to the witness, considering the potential impact on the witness and the public's perception of the coroner's impartiality.

The Supreme Court concluded that the coroner's approach did not amount to apprehended bias. The court found that the coroner's actions were not such that a reasonable observer might think that the coroner might not deal with the inquest impartially. Consequently, the application for judicial review was dismissed. The court held that the coroner's conduct was not of a nature that would lead to a reasonable apprehension of bias.