Bowman v Nambucca Shire Council [2020] NSWSC 1121

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Bowman v Nambucca Shire Council [2020] NSWSC 1121 Hearing dates: 19-21 November 2018; 24-25 June 2019 Date of orders: 21 August 2020 Decision date: 21 August 2020 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Walton J Decision: The defendant is to bring in short minutes of order reflecting this judgment within 7 days of the publication of this judgment. Catchwords: TORTS – negligence – personal injury – slip and fall on boat ramp – determination of liability – risk of harm – duty of care – precautions taken – whether reasonable person in position of defendant would have taken precautions – s 5B(2) considerations – causation LOCAL GOVERNMENT – legal proceedings – torts – negligence TORTS – defences – Civil Liability Act 2002, s 5M – whether recreational activity – obvious risk – warnings – Civil Liability Act 2002, ss 5H, 5F and 5G – contributory negligence Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) Cases Cited: Action Paintball Games Pty Ltd (in liq) v Barker [2013] NSWCA 128 Angel v Hawkesbury City Council Australian Safeway Stores Pty Ltd v Zaluzna (1987) 162 CLR 479 at 488; [1987] HCA 7 Bathurst Regional Council (as Trustee for the Bathurst City Council Crown Reserves Reserve Trust) v Thompson [2012] NSWCA 340 Bunnings Group Ltd v Giudice [2018] NSWCA 144 Carey v Lake Macquarie City Council [2007] NSWCA 4 Carter v Hastings River Greyhound Racing Club [2019] NSWSC 780 Collins v Clarence Valley Council [2015] NSWCA 263 Council of the City of Sydney v Bishop [2019] NSWCA 157 Fallas v Mourlas [2006] NSWCA 32 Garzo v Liverpool/Campbelltown Christian School [2012] NSWCA 151 Glad Retail Cleaning Pty Ltd v Alvarenga [2013] NSWCA 350 Goode v Angland [2017] NSWCA 311 Jones v Bartlett (2000) 205 CLR 166 Kanwar v Lynch [2020] NSWCA 152 Kempsey Shire Council v Five Star Medical Centre Pty Ltd [2018] NSWCA 308 Letang v Ottawa Electric Ry Co [1926] AC 725 McKenna v Hunter & New England Local Health District [2013] NSWCA 476 McNeilly v Imbree (2007) 47 MVR 536 Menz v Wagga Wagga Show Society Inc [2020] NSWCA 65 Neindorf v Junkovic [2005] HCA 75 Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District v Starkey [2016] NSWCA 114 Perisher Blue Pty Ltd v Nair-Smith [2015] NSWCA 90 Podrebersek v Australian Iron & Steel Pty Ltd (1985) 59 ALR 529 Port Macquarie Hastings Council v Mooney [2014] NSWCA 156 Randwick City Council v Muzic [2006] NSWCA 66 Ratewave Pty Limited v BJ Illingby [2017] NSWCA 103 Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW v Dederer (2007) 234 CLR 330 Rootes v Shelton (1967) 116 CLR 383 Sharp v Parramatta City Council [2015] NSWCA 260 Streller v Albury City Council [2013] NSWCA 348 Tame v New South Wales (2002) 211 CLR 317 Thompson v Woolworths (Q'land) Pty Ltd (2005) 221 CLR 234; [2005] HCA 19 Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (NSW) v Miller; Miller v Lithgow City Council [2015] NSWCA 320 Waverley Council v Ferreira [2005] NSWCA 418 Waverley Council v Lodge [2001] NSWCA 439 Weber v Greater Hume Shire Council [2018] NSWSC 667 Weber v Greater Hume Shire Council [2019] NSWCA 74 Wyong Shire Council v Shirt (1980) 146 CLR 40 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Colin Bowman (Plaintiff) Nambucca Shire Council (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: K Andrews with J Wydell (Plaintiff) R Sheldon SC with H Chiu (Defendant)