At a show cause directions hearing in the District Court, a plaintiff on notice of possible dismissal on the court's own motion is not thereby on notice of possible dismissal on the defendant's application. The distinction is critical because dismissal on the court's own motion is a 'preliminary dismissal order' reversible under Pt 1 r 7A, whereas dismissal on a party's application is not. Making an irreversible dismissal order without notice to the plaintiff that such an order is at risk constitutes a denial of procedural fairness.
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