Walsh v Yang & Ors [2023] NSWDC 307

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Walsh v Yang & Ors [2023] NSWDC 307 Hearing dates: 22, 23 and 24 November 2022 Date of orders: 10 August 2023 Decision date: 14 August 2023 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Andronos SC DCJ Decision: See paragraph 223. Catchwords: TORT – negligence – occupier's liability – slip and fall within residential premises – whether occupier had knowledge of slipperiness of tiled surfaces - INSURANCE – denial of insurance under policy necessitating the insured to cross-claim against insurer – construction of policy – whether exclusions apply – s 35 Insurance Contracts Act – whether insurer clearly informed insured of exclusions under policy Legislation Cited: Civil Liability (Third Party Claims Against Insurers) Act 2017 (NSW), s 4 Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 5B, 5D, 5E, 13, 15 and 16 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW), ss 4.2, 3.31, 6.9 and 9.37 Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000 (NSW), reg 43 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 128 Industrial Arbitration Act 1940 (NSW) Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth), ss 28 and 35 Insurance Contracts Regulation 2017 (Cth), regs 18 and 19 Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991 (NSW), Pt 2, Div 3 State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Code) 2008 Cases Cited: Australian Safeways Stores Pty Ltd v Zaluzna (1987) 162 CLR 479; [1987] HC 7 Brown v Rezitis (1970) 125 CLR 157; [1970] HCA 56 Bunnings Group Ltd v Giudice [2018] NSWCA 144 Coote v Kelly; Northram v Kelly [2016] NSWSC 1447 Dickinson v Motor Vehicle Insurance Trust (1987) 163 CLR 500; [1987] HCA 49 Government Insurance Office (NSW) v R & J Green & Lloyd Pty Ltd (1966) 114 CLR 437 Hams v CGU Insurance Limited [2002] NSWSC 273 Health Insurance Commission v Freeman (1998) 158 CLR 267 Hoy v Coffs Harbour City Council [2016] NSWCA 257 Jones v Bartlett (2000) 205 CLR 166 Lockwood & Lockwood v Insurance Australia Ltd t/as SGIC Insurance [2010] SASC 140 McCann v Switzerland Insurance Australia Ltd (2000) 203 CLR 579; [2000] HCA 65 Mount Bruce Mining Pty Ltd v Wright Prospecting Pty Ltd (2015) 256 CLR 104; [2015] HCA 37 Our Town FM Pty Ltd v Australian Broadcasting Tribunal (1987) 16 FCR 465 R v Khazaal [2012] HCA 26; 246 CLR 601; 86 ALJR 884; 289 ALR 586; 217 A Crim R 96 R v Orcher (1999) 48 NSWLR 273 Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW v Dederer (2007) 234 CLR 330; [2007] HC 42 Schultz v McCormack [2015] NSWCA 330 State Government Insurance Office (Qld) v Crittenden (1966) 117 CLR 412 State of NSW v Tempo Services Ltd [2004] NSWCA 4 Strong v Woolworths Ltd (2012) 246 CLR 182; [2012] HCA 5 The Nominal Defendant v Cordin [2017] NSWCA 6 Wallaby Grip Pty Ltd v QBE Insurance (Australia) Ltd (2010) 240 CLR 444; [2010] HCA 9 Texts Cited: The Law of Liability Insurance, Derrington and Ashton, 3rd ed, LexisNexis 2013 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Plaintiff: Colin Walsh First Defendant/First Cross-Claimant: Hongmei Yang Second Defendant/Second Cross-Claimant: Danny Xu Third Defendant/Cross-Defendant: Insurance Australia Limited Representation: Counsel: Plaintiff: Mr P Khandhar SC and Mr E Anderson First and Second Defendants/First and Second Cross-Claimants: Mr S J Walsh Third Defendant/Cross-Defendant: Mr K Horsley