Geoff Diggins

Geoff Diggins

Areas of practice

  • Administrative Law
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Commercial Law
  • Coronial Inquests & Commissions of Inquiry
  • Criminal Law
  • Disciplinary Proceedings
  • Industrial/Employment Law
  • Work Health and Safety Law

Admissions

  • Solicitor - 1993
  • Barrister - 2018

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Arts (Honours) - University of New South Wales
  • Bachelor of Laws – University of New South Wales

About

Geoff worked as a solicitor in private practice for 8 years undertaking a variety of work, in particular in personal injury and employment law (acting for both plaintiffs and defendants). He was then employed by the WorkCover Authority of NSW (now SafeWork NSW) for 13 years during which time he held various senior positions including Principal Solicitor, solicitor advocate and managerial roles.  During that time he had conduct of a substantial number of prosecutions in all major industries and represented SafeWork at coronial inquests into workplace fatalities.  Geoff has a highly developed understanding of the investigation and prosecution of work health and safety offences.

Geoff was called to the bar in 2018 and accepts briefs in the areas identified above.

Selected Cases

Work Health and Safety

SafeWork NSW v Thompson [2021] NSWDC 689

SafeWork NSW v Easy Fall Guttering Pty Limited [2021] NSWDC 44 (led by Chin SC)

Attorney General v Jamestrong Packaging Australia Pty Ltd [2020] NSWCCA 319 (led by Chin SC)

Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union, New South Wales Branch (on behalf of its member Mick Amarasinghe) and WorkCover Authority of New South Wales [2012] NSWIRComm 143 (as solicitor advocate)

Inspector Mason v Graham Allen Chapman & anor [2013] NSWIRComm 71 (as solicitor advocate)

Employment

Jennifer Wood v Amigoss Preschool and Long Day Care Co-Operative Ltd [2023] FWCFB 71 (for successful Respondent)

Gambhir v Fastserv Solutions Pty Ltd [2021] FedCFamC2G 211

Wilson v Industrial Relations Secretary (Department of Justice, Corrective Services) [2020] NSWIRComm 1003

Francois v Industrial Relations Secretary (Department of Corrective Services) [2019] NSWIRComm 1058 (led by Chin SC)

Dumas v Industrial Relations Secretary (on behalf of Department of Communities and Justice) [2019] NSWIRComm 1071 (led by Chin SC)

Childcare

Famous Kids Family Day Care Pty Ltd v Secretary, Department of Education [2023] NSWCATAD 10

Early Childhood Education Australia Pty Ltd v Secretary, Department of Education [2021] NSWCATAD 28

Early Childhood Education Australia Pty Ltd v Secretary, Department of Education (NSW) [2020] NSWCATAD 118

Education

Access Training Institute Pty Ltd and Australian Skills Quality Authority; Kirana Training Pty Ltd and Australian Skills Quality Authority [2020] AATA 2470

Other

Gambhir v Vision of IT Pty Ltd [2024] NSWSC 188

Ghambir v Vision of IT Pty Ltd [2023] NSWSC 905

 


T: +61 2 9223 3633 F: +61 2 8998 8399
E: diggins@hbhiggins.com.au