Singh bhnf Ambu Kanwar v Lynch [2020] NSWCA 152

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Singh bhnf Ambu Kanwar v Lynch [2020] NSWCA 152 Hearing dates: 27 April 2020 Date of orders: 23 July 2020 Decision date: 23 July 2020 Before: Basten JA at [1]; Leeming JA at [80]; Payne JA at [142]; McCallum JA and Simpson AJA at [179] Decision: (1) Appeal dismissed. (2) The appellant is to pay the respondent's costs in this Court. Catchwords: TORTS – negligence – Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 5K, 5L – meaning of "recreational activity", "dangerous recreational activity" – whether professional horse racing a recreational activity TORTS – negligence – Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 5F, 5L – meaning of "obvious risk" – identification of risk – level of generality – principles to be applied TORTS – negligence – elements of cause of action in negligence – breach of duty – whether riding contrary to the Australian Rules of Racing breached jockey's duty of care – whether liability defeated by s 5L of the Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) STATUTORY INTERPRETATION – definitions – interpretation of definition by reference to term defined – reference to the ordinary meaning of term WORDS AND PHRASES – "recreational" – recreational activity" – "obvious risk" – Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), s 5K Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 5B, 5F, 5G, 5H, 5K, 5L, 5M, 5N, 32; Pt 1A, Divs 4, 5 Civil Liability Act 2002 (Tas), ss 19, 20 Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 76 Commons Registration Act 1965 (UK), s 22 Copyright Amendment Act 1984 (Cth), s 3 Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW), ss 33, 35 Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW), s 10 Cases Cited: Agar v Hyde (2000) 201 CLR 552; [2000] HCA 41 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v King [2020] HCA 4; 94 ALJR 293 Avenhouse v Hornsby Shire Council (1998) 46 NSWLR 1 AVS Group of Companies Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Police (2010) 78 NSWLR 302; [2010] NSWCA 81 Barangaroo Delivery Authority v Lend Lease (Millers Point) Pty Ltd [2014] NSWCA 279 Baumer v The Queen (1988) 166 CLR 51; [1988] HCA 67 Birmingham City Council v Walker [2007] 2 AC 262; [2007] UKHL 22 British Amusement Catering Trades Association v Westminster city Council [1988] 2 WLR 485 Brown v Brook (1971) 125 CLR 275; [1971] HCA 30 BWP Management Limited v Ipswich City Council [2020] QCA 104 Carter Capner Law v Clift [2020] QCA 125 Data Access Corp v Powerflex Services Pty Ltd (1999) 202 CLR 1; [1999] HCA 49 Delaney v Staples (t/a De Montfort Recruitment) [1992] 1 AC 687 Dodge v Snell [2011] TASSC 19 Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (2011) 199 FCR 226; [2011] FCAFC 154 Fallas v Mourlas (2006) 65 NSWLR 418; [2006] NSWCA 32 Falvo v Australian Oztag Sports Association [2006] NSWCA 17 Favelle Mort Ltd v Murray (1976) 133 CLR 580; [1976] HCA 13 Goode v Angland (2017) 96 NSWLR 503; [2017] NSWCA 311 Hardy Wine Company Ltd v Janevruss Pty Ltd [2006] VSCA 28 Hastings Co-operative Ltd v Port Macquarie Hastings Council [2009] NSWCA 400 Heffernan v Comcare (2014) 218 FCR 1; [2014] FCAFC 2 Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs v Stringer [2009] UKHL 31; [2009] 4 All ER 1205 Independent Commission Against Corruption v Cunneen (2015) 256 CLR 1; [2015] HCA 14 Kempsey Shire Council v Five Star Medical Centre Pty Ltd (2018) 99 NSWLR 98; [2018] NSWCA 308 Letang v Ottawa Electric Railway Co [1926] AC 725 Liverpool Catholic Club Ltd v Moor [2014] NSWCA 394 MacDonald (Inspector of Taxes) v Dextra Accessories Ltd [2005] UKHL 47; [2005] 4 All ER 107 Manly Council v Malouf t/as Fusion Point (2004) 61 NSWLR 394; [2004] NSWCA 299 McKenna v Hunter & New England Local Health District [2013] NSWCA 476 Menz v Wagga Wagga Show Society Inc [2020] NSWCA 65 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v ARJ17 (2017) 250 FCR 474; [2017] FCAFC 125 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v WZAPN (2015) 254 CLR 610; [2015] HCA 22 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Hu (1997) 79 FCR 309 Nau v Kemp & Associates Pty Ltd (2010) 77 NSWLR 687; [2010] NSWCA 164 Owners of the Ship "Shin Kobe Maru" v Empire Shipping Co Inc (1994) 181 CLR 404; [1994] HCA 54 Oxfordshire County Council v Oxford City Council [2006] 2 AC 674; [2006] UKHL 25 Perisher Blue Pty Ltd v Nair-Smith (2015) 90 NSWLR 1; [2015] NSWCA 90 Philipps v News Group Newspapers Ltd [2013] 1 AC 1; [2012] UKSC 28 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 455; [1998] HCA 28 R v Johnston (1985) 38 SASR 582 Rennie Golledge Pty Ltd v Ballard (2012) 82 NSWLR 231; [2012] NSWCA 376 Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales v Dederer (2007) 234 CLR 330; [2007] HCA 42 Rogers v Whitaker (1992) 175 CLR 479; [1992] HCA 58 Rootes v Shelton (1967) 116 CLR 383; [1967] HCA 39 Secretary, Department of Home Affairs v CCA19 [2019] FCAFC 209 Streller v Albury City Council [2013] NSWCA 348; (2013) Aust Torts Rep 82-146 SZTVU v Minister for Home Affairs (2019) 268 FCR 497; [2019] FCAFC 30 Tempe Recreation (D.500215 and D.1000502) Reserve Trust v Sydney Water Corporation (2014) 88 NSWLR 449; [2014] NSWCA 437 The Council of the Shire of Wyong v Shirt (1980) 146 CLR 40; [1980] HCA 12 Thomas v State of New South Wales (2008) 74 NSWLR 34; [2008] NSWCA 316 Tovir Investments Pty Ltd v Waverley Council [2014] NSWCA 379 UG Insurances Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Stamp Duties (NSW) (1973) 128 CLR 353; [1973] HCA 31 UNSW Global Pty Ltd v Chief Commissioner of State Revenue [2016] NSWSC 1852 Wacal Developments Pty Ltd v Realty Developments Pty Ltd (1978) 140 CLR 503; [1978] HCA 30 Woods v Multi-Sport Holdings Pty Ltd (2002) 208 CLR 460; [2002] HCA 9 YZ Finance Co Pty Ltd v Cummings (1964) 109 CLR 395; [1964] HCA 12 Wicks v State Rail Authority of New South Wales (2010) 241 CLR 60; [2010] HCA 22 Texts Cited: Australian Rules of Racing (1 August 2012), r 137(a) D Bailey and L Norbury, Bennion on Statutory Interpretation (LexisNexis, 7th ed 2017) Commonwealth of Australia, Review of the Law of Negligence – Final Report (September 2002) A Grabiner, "The iterative process of contractual interpretation" (2012) 128 LQR 41 P Herzfeld and T Prince, Interpretation (2nd ed, Thompson Reuters, 2020) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Hari Singh by his next friend Ambu Kanwar (Appellant) Glenn Lynch (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Dr C Ward SC / Mr D Stanton (Appellant) Mr J Sexton SC / Mr D Lloyd (Respondent)