ORDUKAYA v HICKS [2000] NSWCA 180

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : ORDUKAYA v HICKS [2000] NSWCA 180 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40397/99 HEARING DATE(S) : 9 May 2000 JUDGMENT DATE : 19 July 2000

PARTIES : Arif Ordukaya - Appellant Beryl Bishop Hicks - Respondent JUDGMENT OF : Mason P at 1; Meagher JA at 10; Sheller JA at 11

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT 4766/97 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Judge Cooper JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : M L D Einfeld QC/J Anderson - Appellant G I Charteris - Respondent SOLICITORS : Steve Masselos & Co - Appellant Adrian Batterby - NRMA Insurance Ltd - Respondent CATCHWORDS : EVIDENCE - Admissibility - Hearsay - Where hearsay evidence admissible under Evidence Act 1995, s64 - Discretion under Evidence Act 1995, s135(a) - 'Unfairly prejudicial' - Whether denial of opportunity to cross-examine maker of statement admitted as exception to hearsay rule unfairly prejudicial to plaintiff - TORTS - Negligence - Duty of Care - Duty of occupier - Unstable step in residential premises - Where plaintiff injured while moving refrigerator - Where no evidence that defendant knew of or had reason to suspect defect existed - Whether foreseeable risk of injury - NR LEGISLATION CITED : Evidence Act 1995 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Australian Safeway Stores Pty Ltd [1999] FCA 1269 Australian Safeway Stores v Zaluzna (1987) 162 CLR 479 Calin v The Greater Union Organisation Pty Limited (1991) 173 CLR 33 CJD v VAJ (1998) 197 CLR 172 Commonwealth of Australia v McLean (1996) 41 NSWLR 389 Driscoll v The Queen (1977) 137 CLR 517 Hackshaw v Shaw (1984) 155 CLR 614 CASES CITED: Northern Sandblasting Pty Limited v Harris (1997) 188 CLR 313 Papakosmas v The Queen (1999) 196 CLR 297 R v BD (1997) 94 A CrimR 131 R v Christie [1914] AC 545 R v Swaffield (1998) 192 CLR 159 Romeo v Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory (1998) 192 CLR 431 Stannous v Graham (1994) Aust Tort Rep 81-293 Watson v George (1953) 89 CLR 409 DECISION : Appeal dismissed with costs