Mattock v State of New South Wales (New South Wales Department of Education) (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 1045

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Mattock v State of New South Wales (New South Wales Department of Education) (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 1045 Hearing dates: 3-6 May 2021 Date of orders: 19 August 2021 Decision date: 19 August 2021 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Harrison AsJ Decision: The Court orders: (1) Judgment for the defendant. (2) The plaintiff is to pay the defendant's costs. Catchwords: TORT – Negligence – General principles – Personal injury – School PE class – Where plaintiff was involved in a 'head knock' with another student Defences – Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 5I, 5k, 5L – Whether risk of harm was "obvious" – Whether the hybrid game was a "dangerous recreational activity" – Whether there was a significant risk of physical harm – Whether there was a materialisation of an obvious risk Causation – Whether breach caused damages claimed by plaintiff Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 5B, 5C, 5D, 5E 5G, 5H, 5I, 5L,5J, 5K Cases Cited: Adeels Palace Pty Ltd v Moubarak; Adeels Palace Pty Ltd v Bou Najem (2009) 239 CLR 420; [2009] HCA 48 CG Maloney Pty Ltd v Hutton-Potts [2006] NSWCA 136 Collins v Clarence Valley Council [2015] NSWCA 263) Cooke v Kent County Council (1949) 82 Lloyds LR 823 Derrick v Cheung (2001) 181 ALR 301; [2001] HCA 48 Falvo v Australian Oztag Sports Association & Anor [2006] NSWCA 17 Fox v Wood (1981) 148 CLR 438 Holroyd City Council v Zaiter [2014] NSWCA 109 Jaber v Rockdale City Council [2008] NSWCA 98 Jeffrey v London County Council (1954) 52 LGR 521 Kady v Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church, unreported, NSWCCA, 19 February 1997 King v Western Sydney Local Health Network [2013] NSWCA 162 Kretschmar v State of Queensland (1989) Aust Torts Reports 80-272 Mattock v State of New South Wales (New South Wales Department of Education) (No 1) [2021] NSWSC 477 Mobbs v Kain (2009) 54 MVR 179; [2009] NSWCA 301 Nobrega v Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church, unreported, NSWCCA, 23 March 1999 Patrick Stevedores Operations (No 2) Pty Ltd v Hennessy [2015] NSWCA 253 Paul v Cooke (2013) 85 NSWLR 167; [2013] NSWCA 311 Phillis v Daly (1988) 15 NSWLR 65 Roads and Traffic Authority v Dederer (2007) 234 CLR 330; [2004] HCA 42 Sydney v Kondrajian [2001] NSWCA 308 Thornton v Sweeney [2011] NSWCA 244 Trustees of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vairy v Wyong Shire Council (2005) 223 CLR 422; [2005] HCA 62 Wallace v Kam (2013) 297 ALR 383; [2013] HCA 19 Woolworths Ltd v Strong [2010] NSWCA 282 Wright v Cheshire County Council (1952) 2 All ER 789 Wyong Shire Council v Shirt (1980) 146 CLR 40; [1980] HCA 12 Wyong Shire Council v Vairy; Mulligan v Coffs Harbour City Council [2004] NSWCA 247 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Daniel Francis Mattock (Plaintiff) State of New South Wales (New South Wales Department of Education) (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: M Neil QC with R di Michiel (Plaintiff) M Fordham SC with S Love (Defendant)