State of New South Wales v Buckland & Ors; Katena Pty Ltd & Ors v Buckland & Ors [2000] NSWCA 72

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : State of New South Wales v Buckland & Ors; Katena Pty Ltd & Ors v Buckland & Ors [2000] NSWCA 72 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40461/98; 40518/98 HEARING DATE(S) : 6 & 7 March 2000 JUDGMENT DATE : 31 March 2000

State of New South Wales - Appellant (40461/98) George Sackville Cotter Buckland & Ors - Respondents (40461/98) PARTIES : Katena Pty Ltd & Ors - Appellant (40518/98) George Sackville Cotter Buckland & Ors - Respondents (40518/98) JUDGMENT OF : Giles JA at 1; Rolfe AJA at 12; Foster AJA at 147

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT DC 1/95 (Condobolin) FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Phegan DCJ JUDICIAL OFFICER :

J S Coombs QC & D L Ronzani - Appellant (40461/98) COUNSEL : M L D Einfeld QC & T J Morahan - Appellant (40518/98) B M J Toomey QC & N M Carney - Respondents (40461/98 & 40518/98) I V Knight, Crown Solicitor - Appellant (40461/98) SOLICITORS : Justin F O'Sullivan & Edgar, Dalby, Queensland - Appellant (40518/98) Mathews Williams, Condobolin - Respondents (40461/98 & 40518/98) CATCHWORDS : NEGLIGENCE - harvester brought from area where Parthenium weed prevalent - approved to enter NSW by government inspector - used on NSW farm - paddock developed Parthenium weed infestation - whether from use of harvester - whether negligence in approving entry of harvester into NSW - whether negligence in use of harvester - whether negligence causally related to infestation - finding that weed infestation caused by use of harvester upheld - negligence in approving entry of harvester into NSW not causally related to weed infestation - (by majority) negligence in use of harvester was conjectural and not proved - distinction between conjecture and inference and whether facts permitted inference of causally related negligence considered. D Rylands v Fletcher (1866) LR 1Ex 265 Burnie Port Authority v General Jones Pty Ltd (1994) 179 CLR 520 Jones v Great Western Railway Co (1930) 47 TLR 39 Carr v Baker (1936) 36 SR (NSW) 301 CASES CITED: Caswell v Powell Duffryn Associated Collieries Ltd (1940) AC 152 Luxton v Vines (1952) 85 CLR 352 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Bonnington Castings Ltd v Wardlaw (1956) AC 613 St George Club Limited v Hines (1961-1962) 35 ALJR 106 Seltsam Pty Ltd v McGuiness (2000) NSWCA 29 DECISION : Appeal upheld and judgment for the appellants; the respondents pay the appellant's costs of the hearing and of the appeal and have a certificate under the Suitor's Fund Act if otherwise entitled.