Woolworths v Waverley Council [1999] NSWSC 308

Reported Decision : 103 LGERA 227

New South Wales Supreme Court CITATION : Woolworths v Waverley Council [1999] NSWSC 308 CURRENT JURISDICTION : Common Law Division FILE NUMBER(S) : 10631 of 1998 HEARING DATE(S) : 04/06/98 JUDGMENT DATE : 20 April 1999

Woolworths Limited (plaintiff) PARTIES : Waverley Council (defendant 1) Judith Mary Fleming (defendant 2) JUDGMENT OF : Hidden J at 1

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Local Court LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT JUDICIAL OFFICER : Magistrate Judith Mary Fleming

B. Donovan QC with P. Lakatos (plaintiff) COUNSEL : I. Hemmings (defendant 1)

J. P. Gould Solicitors (plaintiff) SOLICITORS : M. E. McMahon, Waverly Council Solicitor (defendant 1) I. V. Knight, Crown Solicitor (defendant 2) CATCHWORDS : Impounding Act, 1993 - appeal to Local Court under s38(1) - whether hearing de novo; time limit under s39(a) - estoppel; power of Local Court to order costs; lawfulness of impounding - notification to owner - whether article "abandoned" or "left unattended". ACTS CITED : Impounding Act 1993 (NSW) Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW) Builders Licensing Board v Sperway Constructions (1976) 135 CLR 616 Ex parte Aust Sporting Club Ltd; Re Dash (1947) 47 SR (NSW) 283 Goldsmith v Victims Compensation Tribunal (1993) 30 NSWLR 410 Commonwealth v Verwayen (1990) 170 CLR 394 Kingston v Keprose Pty Ltd (1987) 11 NSWLR 404 Craine v Colonial Mutual Fire Insurance Co Ltd (1920) 28 CLR 305 CASES CITED : Londish v Knox Grammar School (1997) 97 LGERA 1 Hibbert v McKiernan [1948] 2 KB 142 Parramatta City Council v Pestell (1972) 128 CLR 305 Grassby v The Queen (1989) 168 CLR 1 Commissioner of Police v Bennett (1991) 9 Petty Sessions Review 4311 DPP v Boykin (Wood J, unreported 21 June 1994) Cole v Director General of Youth & Community Services (1987) 7 NSWLR 541 Saraswati v The Queen (1990-91) 172 CLR 1. DECISION : Magistrate's order set aside; matter remitted to Local Court.