Doyle’s Farm Produce Pty Ltd as trustee for Claredale Family Trust v Murray Darling Basin Authority [2021] NSWSC 369

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Doyle's Farm Produce Pty Ltd as trustee for Claredale Family Trust v Murray Darling Basin Authority [2021] NSWSC 369 Hearing dates: 9 April 2021 Decision date: 13 April 2021 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Adamson J Decision: (1) Strike out the following paragraphs of the defence to the further amended statement of claim: a. paragraph 6A(c); b. paragraph 6B(c); c. paragraph 6C(c); d. paragraph 86(b)-(I); e. paragraph 187, from the words "and in further answer" to the end of the paragraph; f. paragraph 190, from the words "and in further answer" to the end of the paragraph; g. paragraph 192, from the words "and in further answer" to the end of the paragraph; h. paragraph 195, from the words "and in further answer" to the end of the paragraph; i. paragraph 197, from the words "and in further answer" to the end of the paragraph; j. paragraph 198A(g); k. paragraph 202, from the words "and in further answer" to the end of the paragraph; I. paragraph 203, from the words "and in further answer" to the end of the paragraph; m. paragraph 204, from the words "and in further answer" to the end of the paragraph; and n. paragraph 205, from the words "and in further answer" to the end of the paragraph. (2) Order the defendants to pay the plaintiffs' costs of the notice of motion filed on 14 December 2020. (3) Make no order as to the costs of the Attorney General for the State of South Australia. Catchwords: NEGLIGENCE — Duty of care — Public authorities — Statutory construction — Whether the Murray Darling Basin Authority, its delegates or the Commonwealth is a "public or other authority" within the meaning of s 41 of the Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) CIVIL PROCEDURE — Interlocutory proceedings — Summary determination of the question of statutory construction — Give effect to the overriding purpose of Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 56 — Need to read general statements in judgments by reference to the circumstances of the case CIVIL PROCEDURE — Originating process — Pleading discloses no reasonable defence — Meaning of "no reasonable defence" — Order to strike out part of a pleading under the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 14.28 CONSTITUTIONAL LAW — Commonwealth and State relations — Alleged inconsistency of laws — General principles – Unnecessary to decide Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 3, 4, 5M, 5N, 6P, 26L, 41, 42, 43A, 44, 46 Civil Liability Amendment (Personal Responsibility) Bill 2002 (NSW) Civil Liability Amendment Act 2003 (NSW) Civil Liability Amendment Bill 2003 (NSW) Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), Pt 10, s 56 Commonwealth Constitution, s 109 Crown Proceedings Act 1988 (NSW), s 3 Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW), ss 5, 12, 13, 15, 21, 34, 65, 66 Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth), ss 64, 78B, 79 Local Government Act 1995 (NSW), Dictionary Patents Act 1952 (Cth), ss 125, 132 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 14.28, 28.2, 42.1 Water Act 2007 (Cth), ss 18E, 171, 176, 199 Water Management Act 2000 (NSW) Cases Cited: AGU v Commonwealth of Australia (No 2) (2013) 86 NSWLR 348; [2013] NSWCA 473 Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenue (Northern Territory) (2009) 239 CLR 27; [2009] HCA 41 Botany Municipal Council v Federal Airports Authority (1992) 175 CLR 453; [1992] HCA 52 DRJ v Commissioner of Victims Rights (No 2) [2020] NSWCA 242; (2020) 383 ALR 517 Ekes v Commonwealth Bank of Australia [2014] NSWCA 336; (2014) 313 ALR 665 General Steel Industries Inc v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) (1964) 112 CLR 125; [1964] HCA 69 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 Leerdam v Noori [2009] NSWCA 90; (2009) 255 ALR 553 Lepcanfin Pty Ltd v Lepfin Pty Ltd (2020) 102 NSWLR 627; [2020] NSWCA 155 Long Forest Estate Pty Ltd v Singh [2020] VSC 604 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v Li (2013) 249 CLR 332; [2013] HCA 18 Precision Products (NSW) Pty Limited v Hawkesbury City Council [2008] NSWCA 278 State of New South Wales v Williams [2014] NSWCA 177; (2014) 242 A Crim R 22 Wickstead v Browne (1992) 30 NSWLR 1 Wickstead v Browne (1993) 10 Leg Rep SL 2 Texts Cited: Commonwealth of Australia, Review of the Law of Negligence: Final Report (September 2002) Explanatory Note to the Civil Liability Amendment Bill 2003 (NSW) New South Wales Legislative Assembly, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 13 November 2003 Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Doyle's Farm Produce Pty Ltd (ACN 119 734 539) as trustee for Claredale Family Trust (First Plaintiff) John Gerard Doyle (Second Plaintiff) Coobool Downs Pastoral Co Pty Ltd (ACN 002 806 617) as trustee for the Dunn Family Trust (Third Plaintiff) Rodney James Dunn (Fourth Plaintiff) Valerie Jeanette Dunn (Fifth Plaintiff) Murray Darling Basin Authority (First Defendant) The Commonwealth of Australia (Second Defendant) Attorney-General for the State of South Australia (Intervener) Representation: Counsel: N Hutley SC / S Hartford Davis (Plaintiffs) S Nixon SC / T Prince (Defendants) M Wait SC / P Stirling (Intervener)