Davidson v Ross and Attorney-General - [1996] 3 NZLR 340

Practice and procedure — Defences — Plaintiff's daughter complaining of sexual abuse by plaintiff- Resultant consultation between plaintiff and first defendant, an educational psychologist — Undertaking of confidence given to plaintiff by defendant — Defendant subsequently disclosing fact of complaint — Whether defendants immune from proceedings for breach of confidence — Application by defendants for determination of that question before trial — Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989, ss 15 and 16 — High Court Rules, R 418.

Medicine, pharmacy and related professions — Educational psychologist — Plaintiff's action against educational psychologist for breach of confidence — Whether defendants immune from proceedings — Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989, ss 15 and 16 — High Court Rules, R 418.

Statutes — Interpretation — Retrospectivity — Statute granting immunity from proceedings arising from disclosure of information concerning ill-treatment of child — Whether immunity applied to information disclosed prior to commencement of Act — Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989, ss 15 and 16.