Stanley v Gallagher and Ors sued on their own behalf and on behalf of all members of the Gold Coast Turf Club & Anor

The appellant, Stanley, a jockey, brought proceedings in the Compensation Court of New South Wales against the respondents, Gallagher and the Gold Coast Turf Club. The dispute concerned the jurisdiction of the Compensation Court to entertain a claim for workers' compensation. Stanley had sustained an injury in New South Wales while travelling to his employment in Queensland.

The primary legal issue before the court was whether the New South Wales Workers' Compensation legislation had extra-territorial operation in these circumstances. Specifically, the court had to determine if there were sufficient factual connectors between the employment and New South Wales to establish jurisdiction, and whether these connectors were confined to the examples provided in *WorkCover Authority (NSW) v Billpat Holdings Pty Ltd*.

The court reasoned that for extra-territorial operation of the legislation, there needed to be relevant factual connectors between the employment and New South Wales. It found that such connectors did exist in this case, thereby establishing the Compensation Court's jurisdiction. The court upheld the appeal, remitted the proceedings to the Compensation Court for the determination of an award in favour of the appellant, and ordered the respondents to pay the appellant's costs.