Commonwealth Banking Corporation v O'Neill, T.M. [1988] FCA 372

Commonwealth Banking Corporation v O'Neill, T.M. [1988] FCA 372

The Tribunal erred in law by substituting the 'latching on' metaphor for the statutory test required by s.29(1) of the Compensation (Commonwealth Government Employees) Act 1971; therefore the appeal from the Tribunal was rightly allowed and remitted for rehearing before a different member.

Parties
Appellant: Commonwealth Banking Corporation; Respondent: Terrence Michael O'Neill
Jurisdiction
Australia
Judgment Date
15 July 1988
Procedural Posture
Appeal / Appeal From a Single Judge to the Full Court
Outcome
appeal dismissed with costs
Legal Topics
Statutory Interpretation, Contributing Factor Test, Compensation for Disease, Error of Law in Tribunal Reasoning

Case Brief

Summary, issues, holding and outcome

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Parties

Commonwealth Banking Corporation

Appellant

Terrence Michael O'Neill

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Appeal / Appeal From a Single Judge to the Full Court

  1. 1 Whether the Administrative Appeals Tribunal applied the correct statutory test under s.29(1) of the Compensation (Commonwealth Government Employees) Act 1971
  2. 2 Whether employment was a contributing factor to the contraction or aggravation or acceleration of disease
  3. 3 Whether use of 'latching on' metaphor constituted an error of law

Ratio Decidendi

The Tribunal erred in law by substituting the 'latching on' metaphor for the statutory test required by s.29(1) of the Compensation (Commonwealth Government Employees) Act 1971; therefore the appeal from the Tribunal was rightly allowed and remitted for rehearing before a different member.

Court Disposition

appeal dismissed with costs

Orders

  • The appeal be dismissed with costs