Mersal v Georges River Council [2021] NSWDC 395

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Mersal v Georges River Council [2021] NSWDC 395 Hearing dates: 19 July 2021 20 July 2021 21 July 2021 22 July 2021 28 July 2021 Date of orders: 13 August 2021 Decision date: 13 August 2021 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Coleman SC DCJ Decision: (1) Verdict and Judgement for the first and second defendants on the Statement of Claim. (2) The Amended Cross Claim is dismissed. (3) The parties are to file and serve submissions no longer than five pages in length, with respect to the question of costs of the proceedings and of the Cross Claim, within 7 days of these orders. The question of costs of the proceedings is to be determined on the papers absent any request by the parties for further hearing on that issue. Catchwords: Torts – Negligence – Duty of Council & School to School Students Using Council Fields – Whether the Plaintiff has Proven the Existence of a Pothole or Depression – Cross‑Claim – Assessment of Damages Legislation Cited: Competition and Consumer Law Act 2010 (Cth) Sch 2 ('Australian Consumer Law') Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) ss 5B, 5B(2), 5C, 5D, 5E, 5F, 5G, 5H, 5I, 5L, 5M, 5R, 5S, 13(1), 16, 16(4), 17 Cases Cited: Bartels v Bankstown City Council [1999] NSWCA 129 Bujnowicz v Trustees Roman Catholic Church [2005] NSWCA 457 Container Terminals Australia Ltd v Huseyin [2008] NSWCA 320 Drivas v Jakopovic [2019] NSWCA 218 Jagatramka v Wollongong Coal Ltd [2021] NSWCA 61 Jones v Dunkel [1959] HCA 8; (1959) 101 CLR 298 Lanyon v Noosa District Football Club Inc [2002] QC A163 Mason v Demasi [2009] NSWCA 227 Michael Abazovic v Australian Capital Territory [2003] ACTSC 15 Rickards v Australian Telecommunications Commission [1983] 3 NSWLR 155 Swain v Waverley Municipal Council (2005) 220 CLR 517 White v Redding [2019] NSWCA 152 Texts Cited: N/A Category: Principal judgment Parties: Ms Hope Amal Mersal (Plaintiff) Georges River Council (First Defendant/First Cross‑Defendant) The Trustees of the Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (NSW) t/as "MLC School, Burwood" (Second Defendant / Cross‑Claimant) Association of Heads of Independent Girls Schools NSW (Second Cross‑Defendant) Representation: Counsel: