Gubbins v Wyndham City Council9 VR 620
Administrative law - Judicial review - Procedural fairness - Animals and livestock - Dogs - Nuisance - Statutory offences - Discretionary power in municipal council to order destruction of dog - Pit bull chasing and attacking horses with riders - Dog seized by municipal officer - Owner subsequently registering dog - Owner wrongly identifying dog's breed - Municipal officer charging owner with statutory offences - Provisional order for destruction of dog made prior to hearing of charges - Municipality adopting policy guidelines for exercise of power - Owner pleading guilty to charges - Municipality confirming destruction decision relying on policy guidelines - Municipality creating informal appeal process - Power to create appeal not precluded by Act - No legislative exclusion of procedural fairness - Owner exercising right of appeal to panel - Denial of right to make oral submissions - Appeal panel upholding decision - Reliance on matter not previously articulated - Whether appeal panel had denied owner procedural fairness - Domestic (Feral and Nuisance) Animals Act 1994 (No 81) ss 29(1AA) 29(5) 77(1)(d)(ii) 80(4)(b)