OXLEY COUNTY COUNCIL v MACDONALD & ORS; BRAMBLES HOLDINGS LIMITED v MACDONALD & ORS [1999] NSWCA 126

New South Wales Court of Appeal CITATION : OXLEY COUNTY COUNCIL v MACDONALD & ORS; BRAMBLES HOLDINGS LIMITED v MACDONALD & ORS [1999] NSWCA 126 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40117/97; 40121/97 HEARING DATE(S) : 13 April 1999 JUDGMENT DATE : 2 July 1999

Oxley County Council Ronier Godfrey MacDonald PARTIES : Brambles Holdings Limited Leslie Thomas Page Rosalie Anne Page Patuse Pty Limited JUDGMENT OF : Priestley JA at 1; Sheller JA at 2; Powell JA at 80

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Supreme Court - Common Law Division LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : 15000/88 LOWER COURT JUDICIAL OFFICER : Bruce J

Appeal 40117/97 J A Timbs QC/M L Williams - A B H K Donovan QC/G R Graham - R1 D Nock SC/G M Gregg - R2 J D Hislop/I J McGillacuddy - R4 COUNSEL : Appeal 40121/97 D Nock SC/G M Gregg - A B H K Donovan QC/G R Graham - R1 J A Timbs QC/M L Williams - R2 J D Hislop QC/I J McGillacuddy - R3 R4 R5 Appeal 40117/97 Sparke Helmore - A T D Kelly & Co - R1 Colin Biggers & Paisley - R2 McLachlan Chilton - R4 SOLICITORS : Appeal 40121/97 Colin Biggers & Paisley - A T D Kelly & Co - R1 Sparke Helmore - R2 J M Crestani - R3 R4 McLachlan Chilton - R5 CATCHWORDS : NEGLIGENCE - co-tortfeasors - apportionment of liability - whether unreasonable or plainly unjust; CONTRACT - implied term - breach - measure of damage - application of s5 (1) of Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1946 - remoteness of damage; PRACTICE & PROCEDURE - costs - Bullock order Workers Compensation Act 1987 ACTS CITED : Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1965 Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1946 Astley v Austrust Limited (1999) 73 ALJR 403 Goose v Wilson Sandford & Co (unreported) English Court of Appeal, 13 February 1998 Soulemezis v Dudley (Holdings) Pty Ltd (1987) 10 NSWLR 247 Lewis v G H Varley Pty Limited (unreported) 18 October 1996 Grljak v Trivan Pty Ltd (In Liquidation) (1994) 35 NSWLR 82 XL Petroleum (NSW) Pty Ltd v Caltex Oil (Australia) Pty Ltd (1985) 155 CLR 448 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499 Kondis v State Transport Authority ((1984) 154 CLR 672 Podrebersek v Australian Iron & Steel Pty Ltd (1985) 59 ALJR 492 CASES CITED: Wynbergen v Hoyts Corporation Pty Ltd (1997) 72 ALJR 65 Alcatel Australia Ltd v Scarcella (1998) 44 NSWLR 349 Florida Hotels Pty Ltd v Mayo (1965) 113 CLR 588 Hadley v Baxendale (1854) 9 Ex 341; 156 ER 145 Koufos v C Czarnikow Limited [1969] 1 AC 350 at 388; Alexander v Cambridge Credit Corporation (1987) 9 NSWLR 310 at 363 and following Wenham v Ella (1972) 127 CLR 454 Norwest Refrigeration Services Pty Ltd v Bain Dawes (WA) Pty Ltd (1984) 157 CLR 149 Gould v Vaggelas (1985) 157 CLR 215 Steppke v National Capital Development Commission (1978) 39 LGRA 94 DECISION : Appeals allowed