Australian Red Cross Society v BC

(1992) 3 Med LR 273

SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA, APPEAL DIVISION

MCGARVIE, and Gobbo JJ

Practice — Interrogatories — Identity of blood donor — Claim against Red Cross as collector and supplier of blood by plaintiff alleging that she was infected with HIV from contaminated blood — Red Cross ordered to supply name and address of donor on grounds that public interest in administration of justice predominated over public interest in not disclosing information — Whether statutory provisions implemented deliberate public policy that information given to Red Cross would not be kept in confidence — Whether judge applied correct test and/or was in error in his assessment of the respective weights of the two competing interests