Dawson v Bankstown City Council [2006] NSWDC 197

New South Wales District Court

CITATION: Dawson v Bankstown City Council [2006] NSWDC 197

HEARING DATE(S): 20 August 2006

JUDGMENT DATE: 12 September 2006

JUDGMENT OF: Johnstone DCJ at 1

DECISION: Judgment for plaintiff against first defendant; Judgment for second defendant against the plaintiff and the first defendant; First defendant to pay costs of plaintiff and second defendant

CATCHWORDS: Negligence - Council - Faulty installation of footpath around a Telstra pit - Defect in footpath obscured and risk not obvious - Failure to plead defence under s 45 Civil Liabilty Act - Preventability of risk - Damages - Domestic care and assistance - Costs - Sanderson order

LEGISLATION CITED: Civil Liability Act 2002: s 5G, s 5H, s 42, and s 45

Brady v Girvan Bros Pty Ltd (1986) 7 NSWLR 241 at 256B-C Brodie v Singleton Shire Council [2001] HCA 29 at [166] Burwood Council v Byrnes [2002] NSWCA 343 Caledonian Collieries Ltd v Speirs [1957] HCA 14 at [12] Ghantous v Hawkesbury Shire Council (2001) 206 CLR 512 at 581 [163] Griffiths v Kerkemeyer (1977) 139 CLR 161 Irvine v Bankstown City Council (Unreported, District Court of NSW, Hughes J, 28 October 2005) Leichhardt Council v Serratore [2005] NSWCA 406 at [15]. Lombardi v Holroyd City Council [2002] NSWCA 252 at [32]. CASES CITED: Makita v Sprowles [2001] NSWCA 305 Mortimer v Burgess (1997) 25 MVR 463 Port Stephens Council v Theodorakis [2006] NSWCA 70 Richmond Valley Council v Standing (2003) 127 LGERA 237 at 255. Romeo v Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory [1998] HCA 5 at [128] Rose v Abbey Orchard Property Investments Pty Ltd (1987) Aust Torts Reports 80-121 at 68,928 RTA v McGuinness [2002] NSWCA 210 at [38] Temora Shire Council v Stein [2004] NSWCA 236 at [39] Thomson v Bankstown Corporation (1953) 87 CLR 619 at 630 Timberland Property Holdings Pty Ltd v Bundy [2005] NSWCA 419 at 35] – [36] Van Gervan v Fenton (1992) 175 CLR 327