The Owners – Strata Plan No 84674 v Pafburn Pty Ltd [2023] NSWSC 116

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: The Owners – Strata Plan No 84674 v Pafburn Pty Ltd [2023] NSWSC 116 Hearing dates: 16 February 2023 Date of orders: 16 February 2023 Decision date: 23 February 2023 Jurisdiction: Equity - Technology and Construction List Before: Rees J Decision: Dismiss application for strike out / summary dismissal. Catchwords: CIVIL LIABILITY ACT — owners corporation sues builder and developer for building defects — breach of statutory duty imposed by s 37 Design and Building Practitioners Act — non-delegable duty by reason of s 39 Design and Building Practitioners Act — proportionate liability — apportionable claims — whether ss 5Q, 39(a) Civil Liability Act operate such that claim is not apportionable. Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) ss 5A, 5Q, 34, 39(a) Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (NSW) ss 37, 39, 41 Cases Cited: Agar v Hyde (2000) 201 CLR 552 ANZ Banking Group Ltd v Turnbull (1991) 33 FCR 265 Bialkower v Acohs Pty Ltd (1998) 83 FCR 1 Boulus Constructions Pty Ltd v Warrumbungle Shire Council (No 2) [2022] NSWSC 1368 Brookfield Multiplex Ltd v Owners Corporation Strata Plan 61288 (2014) 254 CLR 185 Burnie Port Authority v General Jones Pty Ltd (1994) 179 CLR 520; [1994] HCA 13 Commonwealth Bank of Australia v White [1999] 2 VR 681 Dey v Victorian Railways Commissioners (1949) 78 CLR 62; [1949] HCA 1 Fancourt v Mercantile Credits Ltd (1983) 154 CLR 87; [1983] HCA 25 General Steel Industries Inc v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) (1964) 112 CLR 125; [1946] HCA 69 General Steel Industries Inc v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) (1964) 112 CLR 125 Henville v Walker (2001) 206 CLR 459; [2001] HCA 52 Jonstan v Nicholson (2003) 58 NSWLR 223 Ke Qin Ren v Hong Jiang (2014) 104 ACSR 149; [2014] NSWCA 388 Leichhardt Municipal Council v Montgomery (2007) 230 CLR 22; [2007] HCA 6 Medical Council of New South Wales v Lee [2017] NSWCA 282 Newcrest Mining (WA) Ltd v Commonwealth (1997) 190 CLR 513 Owners — Strata Plan No 84674 v Pafburn Pty Ltd [2022] NSWSC 659 Prentice & Camrody as trustees for the Carmprent Unit Trust & Anor v AGL Sales Pty Ltd & Ors [2015] QSC 154 Prestage v Barrett [2021] TASSC 27 Silverton Ltd v Harvey [1975] 1 NSWLR 659 Spencer v Commonwealth of Australia (2010) 241 CLR 118 Stryke Corporation Pty Ltd v Miskovic [2007] NSWCA 72 The Owners – Strata Plan No 87060 v Loulach Developments Pty Ltd (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 1068 Vickery v The Owners – Strata Plan No 80412 (2020) 103 NSWLR 253, [2020] NSWCA 284 Woodhouse v Fitzgerald (2021) 104 NSWLR 475; [2021] NSWCA 54 Woodlands v Essex County Council [2013] UKSC 66; [2014] 1 AC 537 Texts Cited: John G Fleming, The Law of Torts, 10th Edition Negligence Review Panel, Review of the Law of Negligence: Final Report, Commonwealth of Australia, (September 2002) Category: Procedural rulings Parties: The Owners – Strata Plan No 84674 (Plaintiff) Pafburn Pty Ltd (First Defendant) Madarina Pty Ltd (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr D Weinberger (Plaintiff) Mr GA Sirtes SC / Mr A Di Francesco (First and Second Defendants)