Khalifeh v District Court & Anor

The applicant, Mr. Khalifeh, sought judicial review of a decision by the District Court. The core of the dispute concerned Mr. Khalifeh's entitlement to use the title 'physical therapist' in circumstances where he was a registered nurse permitted to practise physiotherapy in certain situations. The matter came before the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

The central legal issue before the Court was the interpretation of section 26(1)(b) of the *Physiotherapists Registration Act 1945* (NSW). Specifically, the Court had to determine whether a person who was a registered nurse, and thus entitled to practise physiotherapy under specific conditions, was also entitled to use the professional title 'physical therapist' under the Act.

The Court reasoned that section 26(1)(b) of the *Physiotherapists Registration Act 1945* prohibited the use of the title 'physical therapist' by any person unless they were registered under that Act. The Court found that Mr. Khalifeh, despite being a registered nurse with certain physiotherapy practice rights, was not registered as a physiotherapist under the *Physiotherapists Registration Act 1945*. Therefore, he was not entitled to use the title 'physical therapist'. The summons was dismissed with costs.